Falling
by I-Write-Upon-My-Whims
Summary: When previously-homeschooled child actor, science geek and fashionista Magnus Bane joins Jonathan Clave High School sophomore year, competitive archer Alec Lightwood is assigned to be his tour guide. Alec, used to being under the radar and out of mind, finds himself captivated by this colorful teen. Human AU, High School AU, wheelchair!Alec. Rated T in case.
1. Chapter 1: Signing In

**I do not own anything. Nothing is mine. Well, the specific AU idea. Nothing else.**

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Alec tapped his pen on the table. There weren't that many new sophomores this year, and signing people in was as boring as boring could be. Well, maybe things could be more boring, but signing people in was pretty boring. He didn't know how the attendance office did it day after day. And preschool teachers? Daycares? Alec knew two jobs that were not for him.

Alec glanced to his left. Helen, at the junior table, didn't seem as bored. She was one of those people who didn't seem like she was just doing it for college apps. She really liked helping people. Alec was pretty sure that's why'd they'd originally become friends, but he didn't think about that too much. His friendship with Helen was a good one, and as the oldest in his family it had been nice to have someone older to take him under her wing a bit, even if she originally became his friend out of pity. Helen definitely knew by now that Alec could deal just fine. There seemed to be even fewer new juniors, and only two new seniors had shown up, and the senior rep had left already.

"Is that all?" Helen asked Alec. "I think everyone I was supposed to sign in showed up and are on the tour already."

"One more for me." Alec glanced at the list, where the one uncrossed-out name sat stubbornly keeping him inside. Mr. Starkweather had said they should pack up as soon as everyone showed up. He didn't want them to have to stay at school any longer than they had to, especially in the middle of summer vacation.

"I can stay until you need to pack up," Helen said. "In case you can't reach-"

"I'll be fine," Alec said.

Helen started to pack up, sorting the sign-up sheets and paperwork and putting the pens into drawers. Alec watched her, leaning back in his chair. Helen was one of those older siblings who was half sister and half babysitter, and she had the organization skills to go with it.

Someone cleared theur throat in the doorway and Alec looked up. A boy stood there, the sun very much reflecting off of his clothing.

"Is this the new student sign-in?" The boy stepped in and Alec blinked. Alec hadn't met anyone with quite that sense of style before. It was very bright. Also glittery. It fit together though, somehow, in a way Alec could barely manage with jeans and sweaters, let alone a glittery jacket over whatever that was.

"Yeah. Are you-" Alec glanced at the sheet. "Magnus Bane?"

"That would be me." Magnus walked up to the table. "Am I late?" He held up a few signed sheets of paper. Up close, Alec could see that Magnus's carefully gelled hair was also imbued with glitter.

"Well, you're not early." Alec held out a hand for the paperwork. "There wasn't really that much of a timeframe, though, anyway." Magnus handed Alec the sheets.

"And who are you?" Magnus asked, leaning on the table. Alec leaned back a little.

"Alec," Alec said. "I'm, um, also a sophomore. I'm your assigned buddy."

"I get a buddy?" Alec looked up from Magnus's pile of papers. Magnus looked amused. Alec couldn't help but notice that while Magnus looked mostly Asian, his eyes were bright green. It wasn't a bad combination. At all.

"To show you around. And stuff." Alec flipped through the sheets. They were all signed properly and in the right order. He filed them away and got Magnus's schedule from a box on the table.

"So, I'm Alec Lightwood and I'll be your buddy." Alec set the schedule in his lap, slipped on his fingerless gloves and wheeled around the table. Magnus stepped back a half step, and out of the corner of Alec's eye he could see Helen sigh.

Alec bit his lip. This part could get awkward. People never really expected a teen in a wheelchair. Magnus, however, slipped easily out of his surprise.

"I have science first period," he said. "AP physio?"

Alec looked at the schedule. "With Jeremiah? So do I." Alec started towards the doorway, gesturing to magnus with a nod of his head. "Um, first I'll take you to meet the teachers, then to get your student ID and stuff. The freshmen are already getting here, so you might have to wait in line Magnus followed, a little bit behind. Alec didn't say anything, and neither did Magnus. Alec really hoped he wasn't expected to say anything. Jace and Isabelle would know what to say.

Alec turned the corner of the building and Magnus stopped short. "What and why is _that_?"

"That's our mascot." Alec looked up at Magnus, who was nodding approvingly.

"What's he doing in the roof?"

"The seniors like posting him around campus. It's a thing." Jonathan Clave High School's mascot was a huge, grinning, slightly perverted-looking angel with eyes that bore into one's soul. It was about seven or eight feet tall, a plastic monstrosity donated by some alumnus or other who probably wanted a laugh, and since then it had had the habit of popping up in random places around the school. Around October it usually was given a witch's hat, and in December it usually was dressed up like Santa.

Alec continued towards Jeremiah's classroom. He hadn't actually officially met Mr. Jeremiah before, but he'd heard good things. He got to the classroom and knocked twice.

"Come in," the teacher answered from inside.

Alec reached for the classroom door, but Magnus got there first. "It's against my policy to let attractive people open their own doors," Magnus said. Alec felt himself blush and quickly hurried into the classroom with his head down. Magnus had a kind of intimidating social grace that Alec sometimes thought he was doomed to be surrounded by. His sister, his best friend, and now his new kid buddy. Was Alec the only awkward person in the history of people? He'd thought teenagers were all supposed to be socially inept, but maybe not.

"Mr. Jeremiah, hi." Mr. Jeremiah's eyes hopped from Magnus, the height he'd expected, to Alec, the height he had not. "I'm Alec Lightwood and this is Magnus Bane. I'm taking him on the new kid tour." Teachers didn't always show up, and it wasn't mandatory, but the really dedicated teachers usually came to school for the new students' tour. "We're in your first period AP physiology class."

"I'll be glad to have you." Mr. Jeremiah smiled. There was something about him that was vaguely weird, but he mostly seemed like a friendly guy. "Did you get the summer homework?"

"There was summer homework?" Magnus smiled. "Just kidding. I got it."

Mr. Jeremiah smiled back. "Wonderful. Do you have any questions?"

"I think I'm good," Magnus said.

"Well, you can always reach me at my email address. It should be on the website." Mr. Jeremiah turned back to his computer. Alec wondered whether teachers actually and summer work or Mr. Jeremiah was just fooling around. Anyway, it was obvious it was time to go. Alec and Magnus thanked the teacher and turned to leave.

Magnus opened the door again. Alec couldn't tell whether Magnus was actually being polite or it was because of the wheelchair.

"Over here's the gym," Alec said. "You have PE second period. If you play a sport, you could probably make that count instead."

"I'm a theatre kid," said Magnus. "Sports aren't in my vocabulary."

Alec nodded. "There's a dance team," he suggested. "My sister's on it."

"That's more my style," Magnus admitted. "Do you play any sports?" The question had been casual, but when Magnus registered who he'd asked, his face froze. "I mean-"

"Archery," Alec said. "I'm a competitive archer."

"Oh," Magnus said. "I didn't know that was a thing. Archery isn't really a typical answer."

"I'm not exactly a typical person," Alec said, and regretted it. He hoped Magnus would take it more as a joke than a bitter thing. Sometimes people got that wrong.

"Oh, no," Magnus said, and wiggled his eyebrows at Alec, "you are not typical."

Alec had the feeling, at that point, that the wheelchair had nothing to do with it.

* * *

"ALEC!" Isabelle waved madly from across the quad. "Hurry up!"

Alec glanced at Magnus and shrugged, moving his hands quickly over the wheels. He made it to Izzy and Jace before anyone got in line behind them. Isabelle's mouth was turned up in excitement, her cheeks bright, her leather jacket and black jeans making it clear she was dressed to impress. Jace looked more nonchalant, but his tapping fingers gave away his true feelings.

"Nice jacket," Magnus said to Isabelle. "I have the same one."

Isabelle scanned Magnus from head to toe, looking up a little to examine his hair. "Maybe we should twin sometime," she said. Magnus grinned.

"You're a freshman?"

"A freshman with very good fashion sense," Isabelle said.

"You give us food poisoning every time you cook, but at least you can hang pieces of cloth on yourself and make it look good," Jace said. "I, on the other hand, don't need the cloth to look good."

"Jace, no one wants to think about what you look like without the cloth," Isabelle said. Alec leaned back in his chair and tried to tamp down his rising embarrassment.

"I'm Jace, anyway," Jace said to Magnus. "This is Isabelle."

"Are you the sister on dance team?" Magnus asked Isabelle.

"Yeah, they're holding auditions until August twenty-fifth. Which is in, like, three weeks," Isabelle said. "Are you any good at dancing?"

"No, I'm fabulous at it," Magnus did a little turn in place.

"You should audition!" Isabelle tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. Magnus shrugged.

"I have a question," he said. "Completely unrelated. For Alec."

"Um, okay," Alec said. He had a pretty good idea where this was going, and he subconsciously rubbed his knee. People usually asked.

"So, why do we have to turn half the paperwork in at the new student sign-in and half here? It doesn't make sense." Magnus folded his arms.

"Oh," Alec said. That wasn't what he'd expected. "I think that's because there's some paperwork all the students have and some only new ones have. You usually have the district transferrals, or transcripts, stuff like that. Then this is more medical stuff, making sure you have supplies and activity paperwork, that kind of thing. Stuff you submit every year."

"I still think it would make more sense to do them both at once," Magnus said. "Really, they should hire me."

"You're almost as modest as Jace," Isabelle observed. "A real humble guy."

"What can I say? I believe that one shouldn't downplay their talents just to seem humble."

The line moved, and Alec nodded when Isabelle moved to push him. She, Jace and Alec's parents were the only people he'd really feel right allowing to push his wheelchair. Alec _would_ let his little brother, Max, but since Max's head barely cleared the seat back Alec didn't quite trust his ability to keep it going in a straight line.

The four of them reached the sign-in table.

"Isabelle Lightwood," Isabelle said. The woman behind the desk scrolled through her computer.

"And he's Alexander?" she asked Isabelle, nodding towards Alec. Like the chair cancelled out his existence.

"I'm not checking in today," Alec said, drawing the woman's gaze down. He was above her eye level, anyway, since she was sitting at a desk and he was tall. "It's only for new students, right?"

"You can check in today, if you want," the woman said.

"I don't have the paperwork."

"Well, anyway, I have my paperwork." Isabelle slammed her paperwork on the desk. Her lips were in a tight line. She hated people ignoring Alec even more than Alec did.

* * *

 **In which I start another fanfic even though I have several just sitting there unfinished. Whoops. Anyway, please review! Reviews mean the world to me. Shoutout to Shadowhuntingdauntlessdemigod for being the best fanficiton buddy anyone could ask for! Also she's really good. Her Jessa fanfic almost made me cry.**


	2. Chapter 2: Neighborly

I own nothing but the AU idea. Just to (Cassandra) Clare-ify.

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"Isabelle, are you spying on them? What is this, _I Love Lucy_?"

"I'm not _spying_ ," Isabelle said defensively. "I'm looking through the window, and coincidentally, people happen to be moving in next door. There's a difference."

"I've never seen you stand on a bureau just to look out of a window," Jace said. "That's quite a coincidence."

"Shut up." Isabelle didn't get down. She was squatting more than standing, carefully avoiding breaking any of the odds and ends Alec had on his bureau.

Alec and Jace were engaged in a rather casual game of battleship. They were sitting on the Alec's bed, the bottom bunk of the bunk bed Alec shared with Max. Jace was not winning.

"H3?" Alec said hopefully. He'd knocked out most of Jace's ships, and only needed a few more to win.

"You're really bad at this," Jace said.

"So that's a no?" Alec picked out a white peg.

"I was only commenting on how you were bad. That was completely unrelated to whether you hit my ship or not."

"So it's a yes?" Alec raised his eyebrows, hesitating with the peg.

"Yes, I have a ship on H3." Jace folded his arms. "G6?"

"Ooh, Jace, there's a girl moving in!" Isabelle looked at Jace. "She's pretty. Maybe you could date her." Isabelle turned ever so slightly and narrowly missed sending a framed photograph of Alec, Isabelle and Jace in a treehouse skittering off of the bureau.

"Isabelle," Jace said, "Just because I'm attracted to girls doesn't mean I need to date them every second. You don't try to pair Alec off with every guy you see."

"Don't give her any ideas," Alec put the red peg in H3. "G6 is empty."

"Damn you," Jace said. "Anyway, Isabelle, how do you know she's not a bitch, or shallow, or-"

"How do we know she's not you, you mean?" Isabelle started to slide off of the bureau, this time not upsetting any of Alec's knickknacks.

"I'm vain, not shallow." Jace imitated what Isabelle had said earlier, "There's a difference."

"We should go say hi." Isabelle hopped onto the ground. "I'm going, anyway. You coming?"

"If we go, we should bring food," Alec said. "Isn't that what you do with new neighbors?"

"I made a lasagna casserole yesterday," Isabelle said. "No one ate any. We could bring that."

"Alec said we should bring _food,_ Isabelle." Jace started packing up his side of battleship.

Isabelle stuck her tongue out in reply.

"We have sliced fruits," Alec said. "We could make a fruit salad."

"That can't be worse than Isabelle's lasagna," Jace said. "I'm in."

Alec pulled his wheelchair in closer to the bed. He pulled one leg over the edge of the bed and then the other, and reached over to set the wheelchair at a better angle. Alec's bed wasn't too high, which made it easier to get in and out of the chair. He reached over to put his left hand on the left side of the wheelchair, the side farthest from him, and put his right on the bed. Alec balanced between his arms and sat down. Once he was seated, he repositioned his legs on the footrest.

"What fruit _is_ there, anyway?" Jace packed up all the battleship pieces neatly into their places. One could always tell who'd packed battleship up, Isabelle or Jace or Alec. Izzy threw everything in willy-nilly, Alec at least kept some semblance of order and Jace was always freakishly neat.

"Mango, apples, bananas and grapes, I think." Alec swiveled towards the door. "But maybe Max ate the last banana. He's going through a monkey phase."

"I remember the monkey phase," Jace said. "Did he read that book? What was it?"

" _How to be a Monkey_? He's read it about four times so far." Isabelle followed Alec and Jace out of the room. "Mom's cursing you for showing it to him every time he climbs on top of the fridge."

"I'm glad to know I've fostered a new generation of disobedient yet charming youth." Jace ran a hand through his spun-gold hair. Alec rolled his eyes.

"I don't get any credit?" Isabelle gave Jace a playful push. Alec rolled his eyes again.

In the kitchen, Jace made ia beeline to the fridge. "Did your mom get those whatchamacallits again?"

"The whatchamacallits go in the pantry," Isabelle said.

"And no, she didn't. You ate them all last time and she doesn't want you to get sick again." Alec sighed.

"And anyway, we're making fruit salad now, not eating whatchamacallits." Isabelle put her hair up in a messy bun using one of the five hair ties she had lining her arm at any given time.

Alec got a bowl from the under-counter bowl cabinet and set it in his lap before getting a spoon and heading to the table. Jace got the fruit from the fridge, since he was standing there already. The mango was pre-sliced, and though Isabelle couldn't cook to save her life she _could_ slice apples, and she and Alec split that job.

"What do I do?" Jace leaned on the counter, perfectly happy to not be doing anything.

"Wash the grapes." Isabelle turned Jace around and gave him a push towards the sink.

When they went to the neighbor's house, Alec carried the fruit salad on his lap. The Lightwoods lived in the one house on the street without front steps, which was actually a lucky coincidence; they'd moved in before Alec had had his accident.

The moving van was outside the house but it seemed to be empty. There was a lull in the busy atmosphere of moving in. There as a front step, which Jace pushed Alec up. Alec could do it just as well himself, but Isabelle thought he'd better hold onto the fruit salad, and Alec didn't mind Jace pushing him anyway. Isabelle usually got nervous when Alec was around steps. She'd never liked stairs, and she'd had a fear of escalators since she was six. With or without Alec's chair, Isabelle's ideal world was probably one full of wheelchair ramps and elevators.

Jace reached across Alec and rang the doorbell.

"Coming!" Someone called from inside, and Alec could hear the sound of light footsteps. The door opened, and a girl with bright red hair stood in the doorway. Alec smiled. When she was standing, she was almost his height when he was sitting. She would not have to bend down to talk to him.

"Hi," she said. "Who are you?" Small as she was, she tried to block the doorway with her tiny body. That made sense. Three strangers were on her front porch.

"We live next door," Isabelle said. "Well, my brother Alec and I do. Jace lives two doors down. We brought fruit salad."

"Oh. Thanks." The girl relaxed and accepted the fruit salad Alec held out to her. She looked slightly confused, but basically friendly. Turning her head, she called into the house. "Mom! Neighbors are here!"

"Invite them in!" A woman called back. Clary stepped back a good deal more than was necessary, eyeing the chair. Alec started in, followed closely by Isabelle and Jace.

"Um, I'm Clary," the girl said, once the three were inside. She darted back to close the door.

Isabelle went though another round of introductions. Clary led them into another room. The couch was set up, but that was it. It was a box mania. A brown haired boy was sitting on the couch, watching Clary, Jace and the Lightwoods.

"Sorry about the mess," Clary said, looking mostly at Alec.

"Moving is insane. We just wanted to say hi. If it's a bad time-" Alec looked at Isabelle and Jace.

Clary also looked at Jace. "Um, no! It's a pretty good time, actually. It's between waves of moving guys." Clary gestured to the boy. "That's Simon."

"Hi," Simon said. "I'm Clary's best friend." He waved. A comic book was open in his lap.

"We're her neighbors." Jace gestured to the three of them.

Clary's mom, or at least one would assume she was Clary's mom due to the massive physical similarities, poked her head into the room. She was carrying a box full of what looked like paints.

"Sorry about the mess," she said. "It won't like like this after a few weeks." The woman shifted the box of paints. "I'm Jocelyn."

"If you want, we're more than willing to help out," Isabelle offered.

"I might have to take you up on that," Jocelyn said. She had exhausted, overwhelmed look of a person who'd just been hit by the fact that moving was not all fun new house and pretty rearrangement of furniture.

"You could always come over to our house, in the meantime, if it's too busy or mes-move-y here," Isabelle gave out another offer. "We've lived here nine years, and we're all unpacked."

"Why don't you and Simon go over there, Clary," Jocelyn suggested. "You should start to get to know the neighborhood."

"Um, sure," Clary said. "Simon?"

Simon stood and tugged on his shirt. "Sounds cool," he said. His shirt had a picture of Chewbacca on it, which, added to Simon's glasses and messy hair, gave him really strong nerd vibes. Not that nerd vibes were a bad thing, but Simon was like the True North of nerd vibes.

Jace and Isabelle turned and Alec swiveled again to go. Clary and Simon followed, awkwardly sticking together. Alec figured that the three of them, with Isabelle and Jace's astonishing hotness, his chair, and the trio's incredibly closeness, could be intimidating.

Clary left the fruit salad on a tiny free space on the counter on the way out. Jace got the wheelchair down the stairs again. He really had it down at that point, and even if there were bumps he found ways not to jostle Alec too much, unless, of course, he was angry with Alec or trying to be funny.

"So, our house is this way," Isabelle said. Jace let Alec wheel himself after the stairs.

"So, Clary," Isabelle said, "what grade are you going into?"

"I'll be a freshman. Simon too." Clary smiled. "I went to J.S.H Middle School." Alec turned onto his walkway, the others following.

"Oh, okay then," Isabelle said. "Jace and I are freshmen too. We went to Enclave."

"I have a friend who went there," Simon said. "You know Maia?"

"No." Isabelle shook her head. "It's a big school." Isabelle opened the door, letting everyone in before her.

"I think she sat behind me in English," Jace said, going inside.

"Are you the guy who'd say random quotes to sound smart and pretentious?" Simon asked. Isabelle snorted a laugh.

"That was definitely him." She closed the door. "Want something to drink? We have juice, water, coffee-"

"Um, if you have coffee, that would be great. Our machine is still at our old house." Isabelle led the way to the kitchen. Jace pulled out a chair for Clary, and Simon sat down next to her, no prompting needed. Jace sat on Clary's other side.

"What do you want in your coffee?" Isabelle went to the coffee maker, where about two cups' worth was still hanging around.

"Black, thanks," Clary said.

"Simon?" Isabelle turned to Simon.

"I'm good." Simon looked more awkward than Clary did. Sitting down, he was shorter than Alec. Most people were shorter than Alec sitting down.

"Who are they?" Max padded into the room. He hadn't changed out of his monkey pajamas yet, and he lugged a huge hardcover picture book in with him.

"They're our new neighbors," Alec said. He turned to Simon and Clary. "This is Max."

Max walked over and held Alec's hand. Max wasn't nervous around strangers, but he didn't warm up to people instantly.

"I'm nine," Max said. Sometimes people mistook him for seven, which he hated, so he always clarified his age.

"Is that _How to be a Monkey?_ " Simon asked."I loved that book."

"Really?" Max walked up to Simon. "It's not real. I can't really be a monkey. I know it's pretend." Max had overheard some adult commenting on how precious it was that he thought he could really turn into a monkey, and Max, taking it a slight to his intelligence, made sure everyone knew that he knew it was a fake book of fake rules.

"Well, maybe you can't really be a monkey, but it's fun to pretend. Have you invented a monkey language?"

"No!" Max's face lit up and Isabelle, giving Clary her coffee, grinned at Simon. "How do you do that?"

"Well," Simon said. "Ooh means yes, Ah means no, things like that."

"Simon was really invested in monkeys," Clary said. "He refused to speak in anything other than the monkey code for, like, a month."

"Please don't give Max any ideas," Jace said.

* * *

Fun fun fun. Please review, they really make my day. I love everyone who's started to read this story. Every notification lights up my phone screen and my day I know, that was "So cheesy you can smear it on crackers"-Shadowhuntingdauntlessdemigod. But honestly, you're the best. I did not expect this fic to receive the notice that it has received.

I also love feedback, negative and positive, so don't be afraid to say anything! I mean, try not to be a jerk, but I understand that I can always improve as a writer!

Thank you so much!


	3. Chapter 3: Show-Around

**I don't own anything but the AU idea, and even that's debatable. Cassandra Clare came up with this brilliance, I'm just twisting it into a new shape.**

* * *

"Oh, no!" Isabelle exclaimed loudly.

"What is it?" Alec didn't bother look up from the book he was reading. Isabelle had her overdramatic tone on, which usually meant she was planning something.

"Magnus was wondering whether I could show him around because he's new in town, but I have dance team rehearsal in the morning and am helping Clary and Jocelyn move tonight! Whatever shall I do?"

"Tell him you can't make it. Maybe tomorrow." Alec turned the page. The book was kind of terrible, but it was required summer reading for his English class.

"But he was wondering about today! Who else do I know who is attractive and knows the area? I know! Alec, you should show him around!"

"Jace can. He only had one summer assignment." Alec sighed and reached for the dictionary. This book was not only boring but barely understandable.

"Jace is, um... Well, you're Magnus's buddy. At school. You already know how to show him around!"

Isabelle wasn't going to let up. "Fine." Alec reached for a bookmark and shut the book. "When and where will this start?"

"He's expecting you up in thirty minutes." Isabelle smugly turned off her phone with a pre-recorded _click_.

"Isabelle." Alec sighed. She'd planned it already, with or without his agreement. "Where does he live?"

"In one of those apartments across from Taki's. I can go with you."

"I'll go alone," Alec sighed again. "So I'll show up, show him around?"

"He'll be waiting in the lobby." Isabelle's smug expression didn't fade. "It's a twenty minute walk, so you'd better get ready fast. And take some cash."

Alec rolled his eyes. "And Mom is fine with me going around town with a guy we literally met five days ago?"

"Oh. Maybe we should ask her." Isabelle turned her phone back on. "I will text her. Right now." Isabelle busied herself with the texting, her fingers flying over her iPhone screen.

Alec headed towards his room to collect his wallet. He'd already given up, might as well do everything Isabelle said. Besides, he kind of did want to see Magnus again. He kind of _really_ wanted to see Magnus again. Isabelle's phone vibrated.

"She's fine with it. Just keep your phone on." Isabelle grinned widely. Maryse wasn't lax, but she respected her children's freedom. Alec knew that she probably trusted him more than Isabelle. His sister rushed into most things, while Alec actually used logic and thought things through.

"I'll text you Magnus's phone number. Go!" Isabelle stood and put her hands on her hips, victorious.

Alec sighed a third time and pulled on his gloves. He could probably go to Taki's and the apartments across the street from Taki's in his sleep. That wasn't the issue. He just had no idea what he'd do with Magnus once he got there. Taking one last look over his shoulder at Isabelle, Alec left the house. There wasn't a traffic light at the first intersection, and there was barely and traffic, either. Long stretch of sidewalk, another crossing with no traffic light, more sidewalk, then a traffic light that took forever. Once Alec and Jace had timed it, and they'd found out that, for pedestrians, it was red for 140 seconds and green for six before the flashing hand started to warn everyone to hurry up. It was a wide street, too, making it impossible to cross in six seconds unless you were Usain Bolt or something.

Alec crossed the last street slowly. His arms were a little bit tired, but no more than legs would had they walked for twenty minutes. He was mostly just nervous. Once he got to the lobby of the apartment building, however, he had no excuse not to go in. He could plainly see Magnus through the glass doors, and Alec knew he was equally as visible.

Magnus hurried outside. He was wearing a very tight shirt and very tight jeans. Alec himself was wearing a plain t-shirt, nothing that held a candle to Magnus's ensemble.

"Hi," Magnus said.

"Hi." Alec had to look up quite a long way to talk to Magnus. His phone buzzed, and he looked down to see Magnus's phone number text from Isabelle. He also saw that it was 11:30. "Isabelle said you just moved here and you wanted someone to show you around?"

"Exactly." Magnus pressed his hands together. "And she said you'd lived here for a long time."

"About as long as she has." Alec absently turned a wheel back and forth, causing him to rock a bit. "So, um, why don't I start close and then go further?"

"Sounds fine by me," Magnus said. "Can we get something to eat real quick? I haven't had breakfast."

Alec wondered if this was part of some plan Isabelle had made, in or out of cahoots with Magnus. Force Magnus and Alec to go to Sunday Brunch? Check.

"Taki's is really big locally. It's just across the street." Alec started towards the crosswalk he'd just come from. Magnus walked beside Alec.

"It looks interesting. I haven't gone yet. My mom and I have mostly been ordering pizza every night." Magnus shrugged. They stopped at the intersection, waiting for the light to turn.

"Since it's pretty close to school, it's where people usually hang out." The light turned green and Alec went forward again, jostling a little on the yellow bumps on the curb ramp. This intersection allowed for more than six seconds of relaxed crossing time. "It gets kind of empty around summer. Not completely, and of course people still hang out there, but not as crowded as it is every day after school when everyone goes there at once."

This time Alec got to the door first and held it open, a kind of proof he could hold the doorknob in one hand and move with the other, then followed Magnus inside. It was a simple coffee shop, Starbucks-style but both cheaper and better-tasting. Their products could get a little weird, but even the greenest and most organic of their drinks was delicious. Isabelle hoped to work there after she turned sixteen, and Alec was looking forward to the friends-and-family discount.

"What do you recommend?" Magnus asked. He blended in to the eccentricity of the coffee shop, and his hair sparkled in the faintly purple lighting.

"The vanilla soy milk clover honey ice blended is pretty good," Alec said. "That's what Isabelle usually gets. I like the celery smoothie, actually, but most people think it tastes a little weird.

"I'll try it," Magnus said. "I pride myself on my risk-taking capabilities."

"The cake pops are also really good." Alec smiled, not knowing why. His muscles sort of just responded to Magnus and took over.

They got into the short line and Magnus drew a few bills from his back pocket. Alec was actually relieved when Magnus didn't try to pay for them both. Not that Alec thought that Magnus thought that this was a date, but Alec had the feeling Magnus might just be that type of person.

"Can I have your name, please?" Alec hadn't seen this barista before, and he usually went to Taki's at least once a week.

"Magnus." Magnus grinned and leaned on the counter, confidence leaking out of every pore.

"And what will he be having?" The barista asked, pointing at Alec. Alec blushed. He'd really been hoping this wouldn't happen on his first time going somewhere with Magnus. It was awkward enough with his siblings.

"I don't read minds," Magnus said, and looked at Alec. "Maybe you should ask him."

"Celery smoothie." Alec didn't say please, which made him feel kind of badass. He handed the money up to the barista who took it awkwardly. "And I'm Alec."

"Thank you." The barista looked down, overly absorbed in putting the cash in the register. She handed Magnus a number. Alec went to get a table to wait at for their drinks. Magnus pulled out a chair to sit down, And Alec aligned his wheelchair with the café table. One of Alec's favorite parts of Taki's was that the tables actually fit his chair.

Alec looked at Magnus, who was still an inch or two taller. "Sorry," he said.

"What do you mean?" Magnus shook his head. "You don't have anything to be sorry about, Alec. That barista-"

"It happens all the time." Alec leaned his elbows on the table. "Just ignore it."

"It happened the other day, didn't it? Isabelle seemed to get upset." Magnus tapped the plastic number on the table

"Yeah, she doesn't ignore things easily." Alec laughed a bit. "But people don't always know how to react. It's not their fault. It's not mine, but it's not theirs."

Magnus huffed. A different barista, one Alec had seen before, came around with drinks and Magnus's cake pop. "On a different note," Magnus said, "I really hope this food is good. The last place I lived had a coffee shop across the street, too, but it wasn't exactly a taste treat."

"It was bad?" Alec sipped his celery drink.

"Think craft services gone bad." Magnus bit his cake pop, then realized Alec had no clue what he was talking about. "Sorry. Actor thing."

"You act? Like a hobby, or for real?" Magnus had mentioned theatre during the tour, but he hadn't elaborated.

"Acting as a hobby _is_ real acting." Magnus looked more serious. "But I know what you mean. I homeschooled up until this year so I could be an actor. Then I decided I wanted to be some kind of scientist instead." Magnus laughed again. "We moved here because the school was better than where we lived before."

"That's _really_ cool. What've you done?" Alec blushed. "Sorry, you probably get that a lot."

"All the time. But I like bragging." Magnus grinned. His grin was contagious, and Alec smiled back. "I did a whole bunch of commercials. I can't count all of those. I was in a few episodes of a few TV shows. I had a web series. That was cool. It was a really bad web series, but it was cool." Magnus shrugged. "It's a hard business, but I was in it because I liked it. Some parents force their kids into acting. My mom tried to talk me out of it. But she supported me." Magnus took a gulp of the celery drink. "Soapy. But good. Anyway, when I stopped liking it, she got me out."

Magnus's life sounded extremely interesting. "Wow," was all Alec could think of to say. "That sounds really cool."

"It was." Magnus leaned forward, matching Alec's position. "I have a question about school."

"Okay."

"Is there a GSA? Because there wasn't anything about it on the website, but there also wasn't anything about dance team."

"A GSA?" Alec subconsciously leaned away from Magnus and almost choked on his celery smoothie. "How would I know?" he coughed, making a very poor case for his having no reason to know.

Magnus let out an embarrassed laugh and looked at Alec with concern. "I found your blog."

Alec felt himself blush a flaming red. "How did you know I had a blog?"

"Alec," Magnus said, "You're hot, gay, wear old sweaters _in the summer_ and now I've discovered that you often frequent a hipster coffee shop. Of course you're on tumblr."

Several thoughts were fighting in Alec's mind. One of them was whether his dad could find the blog as easily, but, oddly enough, the question that was first and foremost in his mind was why Magnus would do enough heavy-duty tumblr research to find Alec's blog. Did that mean Magnus liked him? Also, Magnus had called Alec hot. _Magnus_ had called Alec _hot._

"Um," Alec said, "Helen, the junior who was in the sign-in room, is the president."

"Fabulous," Magnus said, his captivating grin reappearing. "I was kind of worried about that. I figured this area was pretty liberal, but it doesn't hurt to check."

"The area is liberal," Alec said, "But, um, my dad doesn't live in the area and he doesn't, um, he doesn't know." Alec blushed even redder, if that was possible, and stared at his celery smoothie.

"Does your mom know?"

Alec nodded. "She's okay with it. Okay enough." Alec really wanted to change the subject. "Do you like the celery smoothie?"

"It's delicious." Magnus swallowed the rest of his cake pop in one bite. "Are there any more sights, or is this it?"

Alec gulped down celery smoothie. "There's more," he said. Magnus seemed ready to go, and Alec didn't want to hold him back. Not holding people back was on of his main goals. "You done?"

Magnus gulped the rest of his smoothie as well. "My mom says turkeys are done, people are finished. In that case, I'm a turkey."

Alec smiled. "Okay. So, um, next I'll show you museum, I guess." Alec brought the wheels back, empty celery drink on his lap. "I'll get your." He gestured to Magnus's empty cup.

"Thanks," Magnus said, and handed Alec the cup. Their knuckles brushed and Alec felt very juvenile for caring.

* * *

 **Okay, so obviously I'm going to be dealing with some touchier material in here. If there's anything you feel I'm being disrespectful of, please, please, _please_ tell me and I'll change it (I might discuss it with you first to pinpoint the exact problem and so I know what not to do for the future). I do take research very seriously, but most of this I'm just learning secondhand. I want to touch on a variety of issues and I want to do it with respect.**

 **Anyway, thank you so much for reading this! It means an incredibly lot, and so much thanks goes out to everyone who's favorited, followed, reviewed or even stopped by to take a look. Your notifications make my day.**

 **Edit 9/24/15: A GSA is a Gay-Straight Alliance. Some schools in the USA have it as a club (and I can see Helen making a great club president and she would probably start one if there wasn't there already). It's a safe place for LGBTQA+ youth and answers for questioning youth and generally all-around cool.**


	4. Chapter 4: Together

**I own none of these characters.**

 **before I start, I just want to thank everyone who commented. Your reviews honestly mean so much to me. I get so so excited whenever I see a notification, and each one of you brightness my day immensely. I'd also like to thank everyone who's followed, favorited or read my story. You're all fabulous and I feel so lucky to have you guys as readers.**

 **Feel free to PM anytime about anything.**

 **By the way, a GSA is a Gay-Straight Alliance. Some high schools in the USA have them, and they're safe, open places for LGBTQA+ students and for straight and/or questioning students to learn more.**

* * *

"This is the museum." Magnus shook his head. "Best I've seen."

It really wasn't. The local museum was a caricature of every town's museum, an exhibit of some unimportant American Revolutionary War battles and equally unimportant information on the local wildlife. There was also an art exhibit, completely filled to the brim with the art of one painter, an artist who'd sold enough prints on Etsy to almost live on and had thus become a local celebrity.

Magnus stopped to admire a stuffed green-wonted teal, almost indistinguishable from the mallard in the next case.

"Press that button." Alec pointed at a button at the base of the glass. "It does a bird call."

"Wouldn't want to miss out on that." Magnus pressed the button, and a tinny recording of a chittering bird muddled out of a speaker beside it.

"That's the female's decrescendo," Alec said. "I mean, that's the name of that bird call."

"A competitive archer _and_ a bird watcher? Multitalented, you are," Magnus said, crooking one eyebrow. The recording of the bird still hadn't stopped. Magnus pressed the button again as if he thought it'd halt the bird call.

"No!" Alec was too late. "It'll go on forever now." Alec grinned at the look on Magnus's face. "And I'm not a bird watcher, I just did my third grade animal report on the green-winged teal. They hang around the park."

"I did an animal report in third grade!" Magnus's eyes lit up. "So that was on the curriculum. I could never tell whether something was actually a thing or my mom was just making it up." Even when Magnus said the simplest things, he drew Alec in. Maybe it was his acting training, or just who he was.

"What did you do it on?"

"A cheetah, I think." Magnus laughed. "I wanted to be a cheetah when I was little. I'd run around, trying to be as fast as one, but I'm a theatre kid. Speed isn't-" Magnus lost some of his animation, remembering that he was talking about _speed_ and _running_ to _Alec_ , and ended lamely, "Theatre kids don't do sports."

"I used to be okay at soccer," Alec volunteered, hoping he'd sound more cool and non-bitter than anything else. He really hated sounding bitter. "Jace has always been better." Alec wracked his mind for something to put Magnus at ease again. The irritating tinny birdcall echoed through the room. "Want to take a walk down to the park?" Alec tried to put a slight amount of emphasis on the word "walk," like he was saying that it was okay to say "walk" and "run" around him.

"Is it the one we passed on the way here?" Magnus smiled at Alec, his eyes soft, and Alec felt like there was something almost flirty there. Then again, Alec wasn't good at spotting flirting. He was rarely either giving it or on the receiving end, and it could be wishful thinking. And who'd be flirty after one day?

"It's across the street." Alec rolled back, letting Magnus pass in front of him before Alec followed. Alec was at just the height to see the back of Magnus's very tight jeans, and he thought he might be blushing. It wasn't a bad view at all. _At all_.

The park was green, grass-covered and tree-filled. A cement path wound through the grass, charming and twisty with the odd cyclist or dog walker ambling down it. A set of stairs were carved into the hill to go down to the lake to feed the ducks and green-winged teals, and separated from the lake by a low wall, the children's playground sprawled in a sandy, swing-y mess. Looking at it, Alec usually accessed memories he didn't often think about; holes to China and monkey bars and chasing the ice cream truck. It wasn't that he was blocking the memories, childhood could just be forgettable sometimes. It was weird to think that what had once been such a big part of his and Jace's and Isabelle's lives could be so inconsequential not even a decade later.

The sun beat down on Alec's exposed neck, and he knew he'd be sunburned into a lobster unless he got out of the sun.

"Let's sit down under that tree," Alec suggested, pointing. Magnus looked and nodded. There was a stretch of grass, not a big one, between the path and the tree, but the tree was wide-reaching and had plenty of shade. Magnus started across the grass and stopped when Alec didn't immediately follow him.

"Grass doesn't like wheels very much," Alec said apologetically. "The front ones. They sink in." Magnus started forward, as if to suggest he help, but Alec leaned back and then forward, balancing in a wheelie on the not-as-sinking back wheels. Magnus laughed.

"That is fabulous," he said. "You can move around in a wheelie?"

"It took lots of practice." Alec went a bit red, both from the sun and from Magnus's attention. He started onto the grass after Magnus. Even in a wheelie, the grass put up resistance, but Alec knew how to adjust to grass in general and this park in particular. The ground under the grass was pretty hard-packed in the sun, and it was the grass itself that was an obstacle.

Alec let his front wheels back down with a sigh when he made to to the tree. Wheelies were almost second nature, but they still took more effort than wheeling normally, like walking on one;s extreme tippy-toes. Magnus stood in a way that managed to be slightly awkward and exude confidence at the same time, which made the crush that Alec had been nursing the entire day grow a little bigger. He hadn't realized there'd been a crush, but there was, and that made Alec even happier. A gorgeous guy that Alec had a crush on had asked Alec to show him around, and Alec was here, in his childhood park, with this new friend (friend as of now), full on celery smoothie and ready to sit in the shade.

Alec leaned over and put his feet on the ground in front of the footrest. Magnus watched him with interest; that wasn't unusual. Alec did things differently, and people were often interested. Sometimes they tried to hide it, and Alec liked that Magnus didn't feel he needed to. Alec bent over and put his hands beside his feet on the ground and lifted himself to his footrest and then to the ground.

Magnus sat down beside Alec, against the tree, and Alec used his arms to push himself to lean up against the tree as well. His shoulder touched Magnus's, mostly by accident, and Magnus didn't move away.

"We should have brought a picnic," Magnus said. "With cake pops."

"Taki's does have good cake pops." Alec pushed on his legs to stretch them out. Magnus's were long, crossed with a casual elegance that seemed to pour out of everything that Magnus did, and full of life in a way Alec had long since told himself he wasn't jealous of in anyone, a way that Alec's would never be again.

Alec leaned his head back against the tree and looked at Magnus to stop that train of thought.

"Is the tree messing up my hair?" Magnus bent his head forward, giving Alec a view.

"Actually, it still looks fine. Just as pointy." Alec was impressed about the lack of hair flattening.

"I go through a bottle of hair gel a month." Magnus squeezed the spikes in his hair and some glitter came off on his fingers. "Feel it."

Alec tentatively lifted his hand and patted Magnus's head. It was stiff with the gel, and Alec laughed.

"I think that's more hairspray than Izzie uses in some dance shows," Alec said.

"Oh, Alexander," Magnus said, "There's a difference between hairspray and hair gel."

Alec liked the way his full name sounded in Magnus's voice (he'd like anything in Magnus's voice), but he was still taken aback. At his expression, Magnus smiled.

"Sorry," Magnus said. "That woman at school called you Alexander."

"Yeah, her. Um, it's my full name, but I usually go by Alec. I'm fine either way, though." Alec picked up a leaf on the ground and rubbed it between his fingers. He looked up at Magnus, who was smiling wider.

"I've been thinking of you as Alexander since then," Magnus said. "If that's all right?"

"That's all right." Alec smiled at Magnus. Magnus had been thinking of him, and he'd picked up on Alec's first name, and now Magnus called Alec something special and different. Alec wondered if Magnus wanted this to be a date. Alec did.

"Alexander," Magnus said, "Hairspray is more liquid, and you spray it."

"That makes sense," Alec said, "it's called hair _spray_."

"Gel," Magnus said, or more announced, "is a gel. You squeeze it into your hand and fix it on your head and form it into these fabulous spikes." Magnus looked at Alec's head. "Well, I do. You don't."

"How long does it take?" Alec tilted his head, examining Magnus's hair.

"It depends." Magnus shrugged. "I'm fast at it by now."

"How long have you been doing your hair like that?" Alec realized how similar the questions he was asking Magnus about Magnus's fabulous hair were to the questions people usually asked him about his not-so-fabulous legs.

"Two years." Magnus patted his hair again. "Very exciting stuff, Alexander, but we've naan talking about me this entire time. Not that I'm not a fascinating subject, but I know a lot more about myself than I do about you."

Alec shrugged. "I'm not very interesting." He looked at another leaf he was shredding in his lap.

"Alex _an_ der!" Magnus shook his head. "You're the first competitive archer I have ever met. And I have met a lot of people with odd talents."

Alec shrugged. "Other than that. I mean, there's the wheelchair, but I don't want that to be the only reason I'm interesting." Alec was surprised at himself for being so blunt on a first not-date. "I mean-" He looked up at Magnus, then down again.

"That's not the only thing that makes you interesting." Magnus's voice was quieter. "For example, you agreed to show a random kid around town, you're in an AP physiology class, and you're stunningly attractive."

"What?" Alec turned to face Magnus. "You- You think I'm-"

"Blue eyes and black hair are, to be honest, my favorite combination."

There was no mistaking Alec's blush for being in the sun. He turned a brighter red than even the most intense sunburn. "Th-thanks," he got out, nervously. He made himself hold eye contact with Magnus, looking into Magnus's beautiful yellow-green eyes. If sound were light, Magnus's eyes would be humming, low and sweet.

Magnus grinned at Alec, and reached out a hand to touch Alec's fingertips.

"I think you're, um, gorgeous," Alec said. "A lot." his grammar wasn't really happening, and his nerves were tangled up.

"A lot gorgeous?" Magnus's hand inched further up on Alec's, until Magnus's palm was covering Alec's whole hand. "Thank you, Alexander."

Alec bit his lip. He had no idea of what to say. "Is this a date?" he blurted out.

"If you want it to be." Magnus squeezed Alec's hand. "I do."

"I do." Alec felt like they'd exchanged vows. "But, um, I've never been on a date before."

Magnus looked surprised. "Really?"

"Middle school isn't really the place to take a boy to dances, and my dad was living with us then," Alec said. "I took a girl once, but she was bored and just wanted to hang out with her friends." He didn't want to ruin the moment with all of that, but he wanted Magnus to know he wasn't pathetic. "And freshman year was kind of insane."

"I've been in two relationships." Magnus started to rub his thumb over the back of Alec's hand, casually affectionate. The day was kind of surreal. "Both were girls. I kissed a boy once-" Magnus shrugged. "That doesn't matter now. I just don't want you to think I'm the most experienced person ever."

Alec didn't know what to say, so he just smiled at Magnus. He really wanted to put his head on Magnus's shoulder, but it was only a first date and they'd just met the week before, so he wasn't sure whether it would be okay. Then Magnus smiled at him and he decided to go ahead with it. Magnus's shoulder was easily felt under the tight shirt. It was firm and soft, not too muscular or bony or fatty, but a smooth combination of the three. Magnus laughed and leaned his head on Alec's.

"How's your first date going?" Magnus asked, hand squeezing Alec's.

"Wonderfully," Alec answered.

* * *

 **Thank you so** **much for reading! Reviews make my day (any readers make my day, but reviews make it even more) and I love you all!**


	5. Chapter 5: And the Year Begins

Alec skimmed his hands over the wheels, gliding along the hallway.

"Alexander!" Magnus's voice made Alec's heart jump, in a joyful kind of way. Alec slowed, and Magnus caught up. Magnus's hair was especially glittery, probably a celebration of the first day of school. "You have physio next?"

"I'm on the way now." Alec fell into rhythm beside Magnus. "I thought we'd meet there, but I guess we're walking together?"

"If you don't mind?"

"Why would I?" Alec and Magnus hadn't gone on another date, but they'd texted almost religiously, until the first day of school had crept up on them and brought them back to where they'd met in August.

"I hope I have enough glitter pens," Magnus said. Magnus was exactly the kind of person to have glittery gel pens, Alec thought. Magnus dug through his chichi messenger bag and pulled out his pencil case.

"Why wouldn't you have enough?" Alec looked up. He was pretty sure Izzy had that bag, but in a different color.

"They're going to get lost. They always get lost." Magnus shook his head, holding a few pens in his hand.

"I thought you were homeschooled?"

"I follow enough relatable Instagram accounts to know that school supplies always get lost." Magnus reached the physio room door and opened it for Alec, but it was definitely a flirty door opening, not a pity one, and that made the butterflies dance in Alec's stomach.

"Do we get to choose our own seats? My first period class was alphabetical, but my second period we chose our own seats."

"Mr. Jeremiah is generally pretty cool. He'll probably let us choose our own seats." Alec shrugged.

"Then come on! We should choose sets together." Magnus started forward, then stopped short. "Unless-"

"I need to sit in a wheelchair spot? As long as we're in the front row with short lab desks, I'm fine." Alec blushed.

"I was going to say unless you'd already planned to sit with someone. You really must stop underestimating yourself, Alexander." Joy skipped up and down Alec's spine.

"Well, um, I'm not sitting with anyone." Alec followed Magnus to a lab desk on the right of the room, in the front row, by the door. Magnus dropped his backpack next to his lab stool, and Alec unslung his from the back of his chair. The year was starting off very well: A first period with his first date, and they were lab partners, no less.

"Hey, Alec." Aline leaned her elbows on Alec's desk.

"Hi. This is Magnus." Alec prayed Aline wouldn't embarrass him by mentioning the date.

Aline's eyes darted over Magnus and to Alec.

"I'm Aline." Aline held out her hand to shake. "Nice hair."

"You, I like." Magnus grinned at Aline.

"All right, I approve," Aline said. "I'll tell Helen he's good." With a wink at each of them, Aline sauntered around the table to sit behind Alec, before getting up to greet her other friends.

Magnus turned to Alec. "Yes?"

"Sorry." Alec was burning up. "Aline's really blunt. I just told her about the date. I mean, that was okay? I thought friends-"

"Alexander. It's not a date if you don't tell your friends afterwards." People filed in around them. The bell still hadn't rung. "Is Helen in this class?"

"No, she's a junior. She and Aline have been dating since Aline's freshman year, though."

"Helen and I are way too serious for gossip." Aline slid into her seat and tapped Alec on the shoulder. "Have you told him to come to GSA?"

"I asked to come to GSA." Magnus looked amused.

"Good. Helen is always on the search for new members. She says more members equals more money equals better events."

"I _am_ an event." Magnus grinned and Aline land Alec laughed.

"Is Sebastian in this class?" Alec looked around, but couldn't see Aline's cousin.

"God, no." Aline laughed again. "He's pretty and doesn't need brains. All he has to do is say something in that French accent and half the girls in the school fall over. And half the boys."

"French accent? Too bad I'm in Spanish." Alec hit Magnus in the arm. Magnus laughed, and Alec was glad that Magnus took the hit in a playful, friendly way.

The bell rang, jarring Alec and most of the class. He and Magnus looked at the front.

"I'm Mr. Jeremiah." Mr. Jeremiah sat at his desk, sorting a few last papers before he stood up. "I'll pass around a seating chart and you can all fill in your names, and then we'll get started."

Alec was first to fill out his name, neatly and studiously, then Magnus with a flourish, then the chart continued down the row. The buzz of conversation was lower, softer, more like a fly than a bee.

"I'm excited," Magnus said, and Alec remembered that this was Magnus's first class in an actual school. In a lot of ways, Magnus was more inexperienced than a freshman. In others, of course, he was more experienced than many college students. He'd had jobs already.

"Me too," Alec said. Magnus flashed him another quick grin, and Alec realized that every physio class was going to feel like a date.

The seating chart reached the last person and they delivered it to Mr. Jeremiah at the front of the classroom.

"All right. This is AP physio. You guys are here because you're willing to make a commitment." Mr. Jeremiah didn't pace or so anything dramatic, but he managed to make all of the teenagers stay silent. "This is not an easy class. It's totally fine if you want to leave, but while you're in the class I'm going to expect your best work. There is no reason why you all shouldn't get As."

Alec rubbed his thumb along the back of his hand. He'd heard Mr. Jeremiah was tough, but he hadn't known the kind of tough. Mr. Jeremiah didn't seem like a yelling teacher, or a passive-agressive teacher, or any of those nightmares, but this would obviously not be a class for Alec to BS his way through.

"So, any questions?" Mr. Jeremiah smiled. "Okay. Well, why don't we get your summer assignment handed in-"

* * *

The bell rang for lunch, and Alec shut his notebook. The art teacher hadn't started actually teaching, but she'd still thrown plenty of information in the vague direction of the class. Alec still wasn't quite sure whether the teacher was going to take everything seriously or just said she would to stop the class from goofing off. Alec would take her seriously anyway.

He was glad that he hadn't had to take the elevator to any of his classes so far. Freshman year he had two upper-level classes and he'd been late several times due to slow elevators. He'd been let off, but he hadn't liked the attention or the faint looks of pity thrown his way. Not that they only happened at certain times, there was a certain level of "there goes poor Alec Lightwood" most of the time on most days he was in public, but usually he could ignore it.

Alec started out towards the table he'd sat at every day last year. When he got there, Helen, Aline, Jace, and Izzy were there already, along with the redheaded neighbor and her best friend. Clary and Simon, right. They'd hung out more with Jace and Izzy, as Alec had to finish his physio summer assignment at the end of summer.

Alec could fit his wheelchair at the head or foot of the table. There was a table leg that interfered a little with his footrest, but he could manage from where he was.

"Hello." Alec maneuvered into his spot, Helen on wine side and Jace on the other.

"Aline and I were just being introduced to Clary and Simon," Helen said.

Alec nodded.

Alec took his lunch out of his backpack. Izzy had taken over lunch making the first day and he lwas slightly scared. Still, Jace seemed to be alive. "How's your first day of freshman year?" Alec opened his lunch. Izzy had taken Maryse's cookies and made sandwiches. Thank God.

"Great." Izzy exuded the confidence that oozed out of her like a perfume. "I have dance next period, so we'll see how that goes."

"Clary and I have our two before-lunch classes together," Jace said. "I can introduce her to people." Jace took an elegant bit of a cookie, ignoring his sandwich.

Jace was sitting close enough to touch Clary. She seemed to like it, but Simon seemed a little annoyed with the proximity of her and Jace.

Alec started on his sandwich and wondered whether Magnus would show up and take Alec's open invitation, or whether Magnus had found another crowd of friends. Alec had the feeling Magnus didn't find it too hard to make friends, the worry that he might not even have noticed Alec if Alec hadn't been his tour guide. Alec realized he released a breath he hadn't known he'd been hiding when Magnus slid into the bench between Alec and Helen.

"Hey," he said.

Alec swallowed. "Hey. Um, that's Clary and Simon." Alec gestured to each of them. "I think you've met everyone else at least once."

"Magnus," Magnus said to Clary.

"I'm Jace's neighbor," Clary said.

"My neighbor is seventy-six and tried to steal my cat," Magnus said. "But Chairman Meow's safe at home now."

Izzy choked on her water. "Your cat's name is Chairman Meow?"

"Before that, I had Great Catsby." Alec laughed at that.

"Alec named our cat," Isabelle said eagerly. "He was about one, and couldn't really talk, and we got the cat from a church rescue-"

"I named our cat Church," Alec said. "I was actually one and a half, thanks."

"That's not a bad name for a cat," Magnus said. "Very catlike." Alec and Magnus made eye contact and Alec felt the butterflies return.

Clary interrupted the butterflies' mad migration from throat to stomach and back. "Simon has a cat."

"Yossarian." Simon shrugged. "He's the kind of cat that sits on your homework and doesn't move."

"Church sits on your homework and scratches it to bits," Isabelle said. Simon grinned at her, and Alec wanted to tell Izzy to ease up and also to tell Simon to back off from his sister. But Isabelle could more than take care of herself. One didn't make dance team by being weak.

"Are we arguing about the destructive properties of our various felines?" Magnus tapped one glittery hair point. "Chairman Meow is pretty good about that, so I can't contribute."

"I have a dog," Helen said. "Her name is French Fry. Sometimes my siblings pretend she's a horse for their dolls."

"Helen's siblings sometimes pretend I'm a horse for them." Aline laughed. "It's a good thing they're tiny and cute or I'd knock them off."

"Livvy's not tiny," Helen said.

"Livvy falls under the cute category. And she doesn't put all of her weight on me."

Aline's smile was infectious. Magnus's smile made Alec want to stare at him forever.

* * *

 **Finally, Izzie updated a story. Fun. I have two tests tomorrow and loads of homework. Also a school play, which has crazy long rehearsals.**

 **Anyway, I fought through the writer's block and got this. I hope you enjoyed it! Comments mean so much X 100000.**

 **Love you all! Also thanks to Shadowhuntingdauntlessdemigod for all the help. Check her out, she's an amazing writer.**


	6. Chapter 6: Ice Cream

Alec and Magnus had Spanish 2 together after lunch, and an honors English class after that, and then school ended. There'd been a mixup at the office, so until they moved a desk in Alec would transfer in and out of a desk for English. He sat beside Magnus in the back of the room. Magnus stayed with Alec.

"What would you feel about going on another date with me?" Magnus asked as Alec locked the wheels of his chair so it wouldn't slip out from under him when he sat in it.

"I'd really like that." Alec locked the last wheel and looked up at Magnus. "When?"

"Now," Magnus said.

"Now?" Alec didn't know whether it would be rude to start transferring from seat to seat then, when Magnus had just asked him on another date, so he just sat there looking at Magnus. Magnus hadn't stood up and Alec was a little taller. Magnus had longer legs and a shorter torso, and Alec wondered what they height difference would be if they were both standing.

"If you want. We're both in the area." Magnus sounded nonchalant, but he didn't look as relaxed as the energy he seemed to try to exude.

"I'll text my mom." The corners of Alec's mouth moved on their own into a grin.

"Hurry up, boys." Alec had had Mrs. Whitsmith the previous year, and she knew how fast he could go from chair to chair. He quickly raised himself on his fists, sliding into his wheelchair. Magnus watched him, his amber eyes holding something flirtier than Alec could have previously pictured aimed toward him. Aimed toward Izzy or Jace, yes, but not Alec. But here Magnus was, and Alec adored him for it.

Alec pushed himself out of the room and down the small ramp outside of the door.

"See you tomorrow, boys," Mrs. Whitsmith said.

"Bye," Alec mumbled, as Magnus said "and you." Magnus also bowed as they left the room, and Alec heard Mrs. Whitsmith laugh.

Alec parked by a bench. "Let me just call my mom," he said.

"Of course." Magnus sat beside Alec, which Alec enjoyed. They were eye level again.

Alec dialed and held the phone to his ear. "Mom?"

"Alec?"

"Um..." Alec took a breath. "Can I hang out with Magnus again? Today? He asked, and-"

"A boy?" His mom sounded suspicious. "What kind of hanging out."

"It's kind of a date." Maryse was quiet. "Mom?"

"I guess Max can still be all mine," she said, her voice lighter than it should be. "Be responsible."

Alec was a bit incredulous and a lot excited. "Really?" He gripped the phone tighter in his hand.

"I wouldn't say no to Izzy hanging out with a boy. I trust you to make good decisions." Maryse sighed. "Just remember that it's a school night. I love you."

"I promise," Alec said. "Loveyoubye." He hung up, then looked over at Magnus and grinned.

"Where were you thinking?"

* * *

"I saw this ice cream place when I was walking to school," Magnus said. "You know what I thought?" A breeze blew across the sidewalk, sending leaves in spirals and making the trees gently sway. It smelled like rain, a lovely fresh tinge to the air.

"What did you thought?" Alec smiled when Magnus let out a laugh.

"I thought, 'what a good place to come on a date.' Come, allow me." Magnus held the door open with a more extravagant bow than the one he'd given Mrs. Whitsmith. He gently touched Alec's back as Alec wheeled through and the touch sent a phantom shiver down Alec's spine.

Alec gave Magnus a little nod back and entered the ice cream shop. Soon it would be cold of ice cream, but the September air still had a memory of August's heat and ice cream was in order. Ice cream made sweeter by the fact that it was date ice cream.

"Do they have weird flavors too?" Magnus laughed as he entered the store after Alec. "Almond milk oak tree strawberry mocha blast?"

"That's Taki's domain." Alec hung back from the counter. "Do you know what you want?"

"I always judge the quality of an ice-cream establishment based on the quality of their strawberry and pistachio flavors." Magnus tugged on his shirt. "Are you ready to order?"

"I always get the green tea. It's really good, if you ever want to break from strawberry and pistachio." Alec got in line, Magnus beside him. The only other people in the shop were a couple with their child, a little girl who seemed intent on getting every green ice cream in the shop. Alec recognized the look on her face from Max, and guessed they might be waiting there for a while.

"No, honey," the dad said, "only two."

"Four!"

"Two." The dad seemed much more patient than the mom.

"Bella, you're getting two or we're leaving right now!"

"Four!"

"That's it." The mom seemed angry and exhausted, but she was gentle as she dragged her now-screaming daughter out of the store. Her husband sighed and followed.

"Sorry about that!" The server's smile had not slipped, even through the ordeal with the screaming toddler. "So, what will you have?"

"A medium, one scoop strawberry and one scoop pistachio," Magnus said. "Please." His voice was vaguely flirty, but instead of looking at the ice-cream server on the "please," he looked at Alec. Suggestively.

"Just one scoop-"

"Two." Magnus smiled at Alec.

"Um, I can't let you..." The paying thing was awkward.

"I have a coupon for buy one medium, get one free," Magnus said. "That make you feel better?"

It did. "Two scoops of green tea ice cream, please." Alec didn't try to be flirty like Magnus, but Magnus looked seduced anyway. Not seduced. No. That was awkward. Shh. Oh, now Alec was thinking of seduction. And Magnus. He blushed, out of the blue. Oh, why was life so awkward?

"That'll be $4.99." The server winked at Alec like she could read his mind.

"Thank you. And here's the coupon." Magnus slapped down a five dollar bill and a piece of paper, cut from a magazine or something.

The server put the money in the cash register and served up two cones.

"Um," Alec said, "d'you mind carrying mine while I get to a table? It isn't exactly good to hold in a lap."

"I would not mind a single bit." Magnus kept eye contact with Alec, which could have been creepy but instead gave Alec butterflies. Magnus's eyes were so gorgeous. Lovely. Exquisite. Also uniquely golden... "Alexander?"

"Yes?"

"I said, outside table or inside table?" Magnus grinned wider.

"Either."

Magnus lead the way outside, Alec opening the door because Magnus's hands had briefly transformed into ice cream cone holders. They settled into a table, the air a bit nippy but generally comfortable.

"Here you go, Alexander." Magnus's tongue nipped in and out when he said "Alexander," and Alec shook himself. Since when did he think about tongues and eyes and long fingers offering him ice cream?

"Thanks." Alec gratefully took the ice cream cone and began to eat it, giving him something to do other than talk and awkwardly stare at Magnus's face. But ice cream cones didn't really help. You could lick, or... Other things that were also very... Double-meaning-ish. He absently unwrapped the paper that was wound around the cone, spreading it on the table so he could look away from Magnus.

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Alec stayed still, only his head moving up to look at Magnus. Magnus leaned forward.

"How do you rate the ice cream?" Alec wasn't at all sure what to say.

"Solid ten out of ten. The strawberry is perfect, and the pistachio is very pistachio-y. Not too sweet, not to nutty." Magnus kept his elbows on the table, leaning forward towards Alec. Alec sat up, not leaning forward or back, trying to be neutral. The moment felt fragile, in a certain balance, one wrong move and it would topple down.

"I think this date is ten out of ten," slipped out, and then Magnus had leaned even further and his eyes were barely inches from Alec's.

"You think?" Magnus's breath smelled like strawberries and pistachio ice cream and a touch of mint, like he had been preparing for the kiss. Alec ran his tongue over his own teeth, hoping the taste was okay.

"Yeah," Alec breathed, and their lips were touching. It was fast and slow at the same time, gentle and explosive. Somehow their hands found each other, and Alec clutched Magnus's hand tightly. His ice cream cone lay forgotten on the paper, and he was _kissing._ He'd never done that before. It was weird, and kind of slimy, but also good. His nose rubbed against Magnus's, but Magnus's skin was soft and it didn't matter.

A drop of rain startled them apart. Alec opened his eyes, which he hadn't known had been closed.

"Are you okay?" Magnus asked again.

"Yeah." Alec could prevent the grin that was growing on his face. It felt like his smile was one of those pills that turned into foam animals with water, and Magnus's kiss had been the water. "I'm-wow."

* * *

 **SOOOOO! I am way late on this, sorry. But anyway. I had no idea where that was going until it got there, so that's fun. I love you all!**


	7. Chapter 7: Buen Día

On the walk to school the next morning, Izzy talked about Magnus's and Alec's date the entire time.

"Do you think you're his boyfriend now?" Izzy asked. Alec didn't know.

"You should ask him," Jace said.

"Or kiss him again, then ask him." Isabelle's grin was full of glee. "And then kiss him again."

" _Is_ abelle." Alec sighed. He had butterflies at the thought of seeing Magnus again.

They turned into the entry of the school. Alec wheeled up, then slowed. Magnus was sitting on a planter out front, obviously waiting for someone. Alec didn't know whether to go up to him, or if that would be awkward, or what.

"Alexander!" Magnus called. Isabelle and Jace winked and started in different directions, and Alec gladly hurried over to Magnus.

"Hi." Alec pulled in more sideways than in front of Magnus, since the planter was higher and awkward for Magnus to look at Alec. "Yesterday..."

"I'm not very good at all that," Alec said with a forced laugh. "You know. So if it was bad or whatever, it was my-"

"Alexander," Magnus said, "I really liked that."

"Oh!" Alec felt the foam-pill grin again. "So did I."

"That's good to hear," Magnus said, "Alexander."

Alec felt a little swept up in a whirlwind with Magnus, a whirlwind in which he was both floating free and had control, and he really liked it.

"All right." Magnus stood up and brushed his hands together. "I doubt Jeremiah will care about teen romances. Let's not be late."

* * *

~Isabelle~

Isabelle made it to the lunch table first, with Jace and Clary a close second. The way they were looking at each other, Isabelle had the feeling that "Jace-and-Clary" was soon going to become a thing.

"Izzy," Jace said, as he slid into the bench. "What are you looking out for?"

"I'm not looking out for anything," Izzy answered. "I'm just admiring our new campus."

"From here, you can see... Ah yes, benches and concrete. Yes, beautiful."

"Shut it, Jace." Helen and Aline approached, fingers intertwined. They slid onto the bench beside each other.

"So, Jace, Isabelle... Clary?" Helen said, and Clary nodded, "how're you liking Jonathan Clave?"

"Helen," Aline said, "Didn't you hate being asked that as a freshman?"

"I'm on the welcoming committee," Helen said. "I need to know."

Aline leaned her head against Helen's and put an arm around her waist. "Of course you do."

As Jace began to answer, Isabelle spotted Magnus and Alec coming to the cafeteria area. Finally. She slid off of the table with a dancer's fluid grace. Jace flicked up an eyebrow when he saw where she was headed, but said nothing.

"Alec!" Isabelle ran to her brother and Magnus. "Jace had a question about some school thing. And I wanted to talk to Magnus about a dance class I found somewhere." She flashed her best smile, which Alec could probably see right through, but anyway.

Alec looked lightly confused and slightly worried, but he headed over to Jace anyway. When he was out of earshot, Isabelle turned to Magnus. He seemed cool and collected, even in the face of an intense Isabelle Lightwood Stare™.

"What intentions do I have with your brother?" Magnus guessed, and smiled. His charm was almost a match for her own. Luckily, she spent practically every day with jace Lightwood. She could handle charm.

"You might be surprised to hear this, but you were his first date. And kiss." Isabelle held eye contact with Magnus. He had glittery eyeshadow, which somehow made Isabelle trust him more. He wasn't afraid to be himself, even in high school. "What's your plan for this whole thing?"

"It depends on what Alexander wants." Magnus didn't look nervous, exactly, but his expression held something in that range of emotion. "It actually is hard to believe he hasn't dated. He's extremely attractive, but it's also more than that-"

"You mean that?" Isabelle knew her brother was hot, as people go. He couldn't not be hot. He was related to her. And he was smart, and had a sense of humor that didn't show up right away, or all the time, but was really funny when it did. But people who didn't know him well usually just picked up on the chair, not Alec himself as much. And Magnus was basically a stranger. Except he _saw_ Alec."You really mean that you can't believe he's never dated?"

On edge, Magnus said, "I don't kiss people out of pity, if that's what you're afraid of." He put his hands on his hips.

Isabelle blushed. The thought had been bouncing around in her mind. "So this is a real thing?" She tried to hide how much she wanted it to be, how much she wanted for Alec to have a boyfriend.

"Isabelle," Magnus said softly, "I don't know who you're underestimating, your brother or me, but yes. This is a real thing."

Isabelle smiled at Magnus. Throwing a look over her shoulder, she said loudly, "Anyway, I guess this studio might be your style." She lowered her voice back to normal volume. "Let's go join everyone, shall we?"

Magnus smiled back. "Excellent."

* * *

~Alec~

"Y este clase, vamos a presentir un dialogo." Señor Rosales looked at the class, half of whom obviously had not understood, and sighed. "In this class we're going to present a dialog. You can choose your own partners." He had a slight Mexican accent tinting the edge of each word.

Magnus's hand wrapped around Alec's forearm.

"Yes," Alec muttered back.

"I don't expect you to memorize them in one period, but I do expect your pronunciation to work and you not to have to loo at your paper the entire time. Sí?"

"Sí," The class echoed back. The TA handed out pages and Señor Rosales signaled to begin practicing. A general mumble of voices grew in the room, blending together like white noise.

"Alexander," Magnus said seriously, "We are going to blow the rest of our class away with the sheer quality of our performance."

"Mrs. Whitsmith's going to love you when we read _Much Ado About Nothing_ in English this year," Alec said. "She loves the kids who volunteer and actually act."

"Hmm. Alexander, do you want to be Enrique or Alicia?" Magnus read through the one-page dialog quickly, is eyes skipping across the page. "Oh, Enrique totally has it bad for Alicia."

"How heteronormative," Alec said. "We should do something about that." Alec was surprised by the words that had come out of his mouth. They were so flirty and alien.

"I like how you think, Alexander." Magnus batted his glittery eyelashes at Alec. Alec felt like a character in a teen movie, but it didn't feel cheesy in a bad way. Magnus slipped his hand into Alec's, and Alec looked at his sheet of paper.

"You're reading a lot of subtext into this."

"'Buen día'? What kind of a teenager says 'good morning'? There's something going on," Magnus said. "And I think Alicia feels it back."

"Right," Alec said. "'I have science next period' totally means 'be my boyfriend.'"

"Speaking of which," Magnus said, his voice low in the jumble of voices speaking in bungled Spanish, "would you be my boyfriend?" He sounded suave, but something in his eyes betrayed nerves.

Alec felt like he would explode. His heart swelled, jubilant. " _Yes_ ," he said, and the "yes" was rich and full.

Magnus let out a breath that seemed to come from deep inside of him. "That's good," he said, but his tone was not as simple. "That's amazing.." He squeezed Alec's hand, stopped from another kiss likely only by Señor Rosales's watching eye. "Alexander, you're amazing."

* * *

 **Yay! This chapter was surprisingly easy to write. I hope you all had a lovely holiday season (I mean, sans New Year's, which is my personal favorite holiday). Reviews and votes are incredibly appreciated, but reads alone are beautiful and make me extremely excited. So basically by being here you'v made my day.**

 **Also, quick shoutout to Shadowhuntingdauntlessdemigod for being my fanfiction bae. Her writing is incredible. You should check out her Jessa fic (I think I say this a lot. But it's so good. Also her Avengers stuff).**

 **Also, if I got any Spanish grammar wrong, I'll say now that it was "on purpose," but if you correct me I will change it.**


	8. Chapter 8: Archer

When Magnus came down the street, Alec was on the porch. He was watering the bushes outside so he wouldn't look totally pathetic waiting for Magnus, but since there were obvious sprinklers on the lawn he didn't think he was doing too good a job at hiding his patheticness from Magnus. Most of the houses on the street, including Alec's, had trees obscuring the addresses and the numbers on the curbs were hopelessly faded. The only way Magnus would tell which house was Alec's would be by knowing which house was Alec's.

When Magnus came up the walk, Alec shut off the hose. Magnus had his backpack over one shoulder, since they were meeting at Alec's to "maybe do homework." He had on less glitter and makeup today, maybe because it was a weekend, and he looked just as good as he did with more of it on.

"Hey," Magnus said. He walked up to the door, which Alec opened first.

"Hi."

Alec sort of wanted to greet Magnus with another kiss, out on the street and everything, but the height difference and lack of mind reading would probably make that more awkward than it was worth. Alec pulled the door back so Magnus could go inside.

Magnus looked around the entryway of the house. Alec looked at Magnus. The word "boyfriend" bounced around inside his mind, and it felt shiny and new and weird, like a new shirt that fit but still hadn't been washed enough to feel really properly soft.

"Is that you?" Magnus looked at one of the photos on the wall.

"Yeah." Alec didn't even have to look at the photo, but he did anyway. It wasn't prominent, or special, but there had been several arguments about it right after the accident, before Maryse decided to keep it on the wall. In it, six-year-old Alec and five-year old Jace and Izzy were playing tag. Alec, in particular, was front and center, running closest to Robert, who had taken the photo, outrunning Jace and very, very mobile. "I was average until I was nine."

"I doubt that," Magnus said. "You are, and likely always have been, far above average." He looked at Alec, and back at the photo. "You still have the same expression when you're happy. Or I assume it's happiness."

Alec never actually noticed the expression when he looked at the photo. He either ignored it, and it had been up for so long that it blended into the wall, so he couldn't help but look at the legs. It didn't make him feel great pain, but it did make him the slightest bit nostalgic. But on Magnus's suggestion, he looked at the face of his six-year-old self. Six-year-old Alec was grinning the water-on-foam-animal-pill grin, the one that was impossible for him to stop.

"Yeah," Alec said, "I guess I do." Magnus looked at the Alec now. "Come on. Let's go to my room so we know no one's gonna bother us. Max, my little brother, is at a playdate."

There was a doorway from the entryway into the hall, which was painted a soft lavender that contrasted with the entryway's yellow walls.

"I like the colors," Magnus said. "They're really cool."

"My mom likes to joke that we live in an easter-egg basket," Alec said.

Maryse had painted the house after Robert moved out, a monthlong project to take every beige wall in the house and change it to another color, and every already colorful wall and add decals. Her bedroom had lavender tulips decorating the burgundy walls, and Isabelle had black dragons on her pink walls. Alec and Max's room had been beige, so that was simply the same pastel yellow as the entryway.

When Alec opened the door to his room at the end of the hall, it wasn't empty. Jace and Clary were sitting (sitting fully clothed) on the bed, kissing in a way that seemed a lot more difficult than any kiss he'd had with Magnus. He got the feeling there was probably a lot more tongue and teeth involved than anything they'd done.

Clary had opened her eyes when the door opened and she sprang away from Jace, hitting her head on the top bunk. "Ahh!" She exclaimed, probably from both being caught kissing and from hitting her head.

"What are you doing in here?" Jace asked Alec, looking slightly angry.

"This is my room, Jace," Alec said. "Go kiss in Izzy's room."

"Sorry," Jace said to Clary. Alec looked at Magnus. He looked extremely amused.

"Jace is really smart, but he can be dumb sometimes," Alec said to clary. "Sorry."

"Sorry," Jace said to Clary. She sighed.

Alec looked at Magnus. He looked extremely amused.

"Now, out," Alec said to Jace. He wheeled in, positioning himself in a position where he could both glare at the bed and stand watch as they left through the door. Jace and Clary stood and left, Clary walking with quick, light steps and jace long and smooth. When Clary passed Alec, he was amazed again by how he was almost as tall as she.

When Jace shut the door behind him (badly; he seemed to be against closing doors all the way) and Magnus shut it fully, Alec started to laugh. Magnus joined in, and for a moment they were just looking into each other's eyes and laughing.

"I do think they had a good idea," Magnus said, and sat on the bed. He beckoned for Alec to come closer, which he did with a spin of the wheels.

"I was just thinking that myself," Alec said, and kissed Magnus. The bed was still a little higher than Alec's comfortable face reach, and it strained both Alec and Magnus's necks.

"Can I?" Magnus mumbled in the kiss, his arms around Alec's waist, ready to drag him onto the bed. Alec figured that Magnus had seen examples of Alec's independence enough that him being lifted would just be a shortcut.

"Yeah," Alec said. Magnus pulled him onto the bed without breaking from the kiss. The fact that they were kissing throughout the lift made Alec feel less like a baby being carried and more like romantic pulling closer of a person like in every book and movie ever.

"Hey," Alec said, breaking the kiss. He and Magnus were both breathing more haggardly. "Have you known anyone else who used a wheelchair?"

"No," Magnus said, "why do you ask?" He didn't seem too bothered at the kiss being broken, rather just interested in Alec.

"You're really good at it," Alec said. "Making me feel normal."

"That's because you are normal, Alexander." Magnus brushed his hand over the side of Alec's face like he was tucking a piece of hair behind Alec's ear. "In that sense."

Alec smiled. He was sitting mostly next to Magnus, but one of their legs was intertwined. He leaned back in, and they shared a smoother, shorter kiss.

"Are we going to sit here making out all day?" Magnus asked. "Not that I'm complaining."

"I don't know." Alec shrugged. Magnus wrapped an arm around Alec's waist and Alec dropped his head onto Magnus's shoulder. Alec took one of Magnus's hands and idly rubbed his fingertips around each knuckle in several connected figure eights.

"May I ask a question?"

"Yeah." Alec continued the massaging of Magnus's hand, not looking up.

"Is Jace at your house all the time?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Alec looked at Magnus. "Are you going to ask why?"

"Mind reader."

Alec dropped his voice to almost a whisper. "His mom committed suicide due to postpartum depression and it really screwed with his dad. His dad gets super nitpicky with Jace's schoolwork and stuff, but as long as he has good grades, he doesn't bother Jace as much." Alec shrugged, looking down again at Magnus's hand. The fingers were long and the nails were covered in purple-black nail polish. "My mom is more his mom than he feels his dad is his dad, really."

"Wow," Magnus said. "This stretch of people seems to be daddy issues galore." Something in Magnus's voice made it sound like he was including himself in the galore. Alec didn't want to pry.

"Yeah." Alec put his head back on Magnus's shoulder. "How many kids do you want?"

"Alexander, you've been my boyfriend for three days." Magnus laughed.

Alec sat up. "I didn't mean-"

"I know." Magnus dragged Alec closer again. "I think one or two, probably. But I don't know. I have no experience there. You?"

"Three," Alec said. "But closer in age. I want my third to be in the baby photos, too. Max feels left out a to because by the time he was born we'd stopped printing photos and we just kept them on our phones. We have a few newborn Max photos around, but not as many as Izzy and me."

"That's logical."

Alec's phone buzzed and he looked down. "Ooh, tumblr notification." He swiped the phone open.

"Are you following me?" Magnus asked. "Magnus-is-fabness."

"Yeah," Alec said. "I think-Ooh! I got a thousand notes on a post!"

"Really?" Magnus said. "We should celebrate."

They leaned together and their lips once again began to waltz to their own rhythm.

* * *

They'd decided to watch a movie instead of just kiss, but they ended up kissing through most of it, and the times they weren't Magnus was adding commentary. He hadn't seen the movie before, but both he and Alec thought it was absolutely ridiculous.

"It's almost two thirty," Magnus said. "You're busy after?"

"I'm going to the archery range at three," Alec said. "I go every Saturday, and then after school on some days."

"That is so cool," Magnus said.

"If you're not busy afterward," Alec said, "Maybe you could come."

"As a matter of fact, I'm not busy."

"Great." Alec smiled. "It's about a fifteen minute walk and I like to get there early. It's by the park."

"That sounds excellent, Alexander." Alec wondered whether Magnus didn't just tack "Alexander" on to some of his sentences because he liked to say it. Alec wasn't complaining, though. He liked to hear it.

He transferred into the chair from the couch. It was a bit harder than the bed, but not by much.

"I just need to get a different chair," Alec said. "Come, or wait here."

His athletic wheelchair was in the garage. It was a nice garage, and Maryse was almost more particular about its neatness than the neatness of the house. It was built with two steps, but they'd installed a ramp.

Magnus stood in the house as Alec wheeled down the ramp. He locked both chairs and transferred. The athletic wheelchair was lower and had no back or armrests. The height made it easier, and while something to hold on to may have been nice, the lack of obstacles was also nice. Alec sat up straighter in it.

His bow and quiver of arrows was beside it. The bow was unwieldy, but Alec balanced it on his lap well due to lots of practice. The quiver he slung over his shoulder.

"Wow, Robin Hood," Magnus said. "Although I doubt Robin Hood had such brilliant blue eyes." Magnus winked.

Alec blushed again and made for the front door.

Magnus skipped a little as they went outside, like a dog very excited to be taken on a walk.

"I think I smell roses," Magnus said. "Do you smell roses?"

"Yes, because there are roses in the yard." Alec set off towards the archery range, and Magnus kept in time beside him.

When they got to the range, Alec strolled up to the booth where he got arrows and shooting time. To the right of the range, within loud speaking distance, was the range, with a wooden awning over several stalls. Each stall had a target and hay (the hay was for aesthetic value). To the left, about six feet away, was a shed, with the same dark wood as the stalls.

"Alec!" Bertha, who owned the range along with her husband, Nathan, knew Alec and had given him his first archery lesson when he was eleven. "You're late."

"I'm twenty minutes early." Alec smiled. "Can I have ten arrows?"

"It's a slow day. You know where they are. Until customers come, you can have as long as you like." Bertha smiled at Magnus. "Who's this?"

"I'm Magnus Bane," Magnus said.

"He's actually-" The words felt weird in Alec's mouth. "My boyfriend."

Magnus grinned, his eyes lighting up. "As of Tuesday."

"Alec Lightwood!" Bertha was beaming. "Finally." Bertha hung more of her upper body out of the booth. "Nathan!"

"What?" Nathan popped out of one of the stalls. He was a freelance lawyer, working from home, alternating his time between cases and the range on days he didn't have to go to court. "Alec!"

"This is Alec's boyfriend," Bertha said. Nathan shook Magnus's hand.

"Nice to meet you," Nathan said.

"You too." Magnus looked both confused and amused.

"Why don't you get Magnus a bow and some arrows?" Nathan stepped back, surveying Magnus. "Maybe a fifteen pounder." Nathan started back to the range. "You know where I'll be if you need me."

"Okay."

Alec gestured at Magnus to follow him and went to the shed to get arrows. There'd been a ramp there even before Alec was a frequent customer. His favorite quiver was hanging at a lower height than the rest, and though Bertha never said anything he was pretty sure that it was intentional. He took the arrows out and put them in his own quiver, which he brought because Max had gotten it for him and also it made a good bag to carry his arm and finger guards.

"Pick out any quiver you want." Alec watched Magnus choose his arrows. "And sorry about that."

"No," Magnus said. "I'm glad they approve."

Alec nodded. "Then one of the bows with blue lines. That'll be a good weight for you."

Magnus chose a bow. "The string is loose on all of these."

"Yeah, you'll string it." Alec wheeled to the basket of arm and finger guards and held them out to Magnus. "Here. You'll need these."

"Thanks." Magnus took them and followed Alec out to the range.

Alec showed Magnus how to string his bow, first, and then strung his own. The looping string always made Alec feel a bit excited. The range was like a second home. Alec volunteered there, starting by changing hay and collecting arrows when he was younger, and as he got older he sometimes taught children's classes during the summer and helped at the summer camp.

Alec chose the stall with the target that was farthest away.

"Okay, now, I'll show you the right way to make a shot." Alec shrugged off the sweater that he'd been wearing and draped it over the side of the stall. He had a t-shirt underneath, which made it easier to shoot. He readied his bow in his left hand and drew and arrow from his quiver. He knocked it, sliding the bowstring into the notch between the feathers, and drew back. "I anchor the arrow at my ear, so I aim the same way every time."

Magnus "mmmm-ed" to show he was listening. Alec continued.

"And then, I-" He released. The arrow flew straight and landed with a "thwack" in the center of the target. Not dead center, but pretty close.

"Wow!" Magnus applauded like he would for a show. Alec blushed and turned around. "That's amazing!" He seemed a bit distracted from the arrow, though. "How do you do that?"

"Practice." Alec propped his bow against the side of the stall. "Come on, let's go to an easier target."

Magnus followed him to the stall with the nearest target. It wasn't incredibly close, but it was an easy enough distance.

"Okay," Alec said. "Do you mind bending down so I can check your position?"

Magnus knelt in the stall. Alec positioned his arms by reaching around him. He knew it was a kind of a risky, flirty move. He could feel Magnus's back inflate and deflate with air, and the warmth of him made Alec feel butterflies. He closed his hand around Magnus's left, pulling the bow level.

"Since you have an arm guard, you don't have to worry about the bow snapping against your arm when you let it fly," Alec said. "It's not _so_ bad anyway, but it really stings." Alec moved his hand over Magnus's to draw an arrow and knock it. "You need to make sure the arrow is resting on this little thing here, so it stays true to course."

"Is that the technical term?" Magnus asked, his voice as low as Alec's. He rested the arrow on the small space made by a plastic outcropping on the bow.

"Mmm-hmm." Alec nodded, his tone more light. "And see how these two feathers are the same color, and the third is different? You need to make sure the third feather points outward, or else it won't fly." Magnus turned the arrow properly. "Now draw back and find a place on your face to anchor your aim. Cheek, eye, ear, etcetera." Alec wheeled back to Magnus could shoot on his own. "You can stand if you want, or stay down. Standing might be easier."

Magnus nodded and stood, moving carefully so he didn't upset the positioning. Alec folded his hands in his lap, watching and waiting.

"When you're ready, release." Magnus positioned the arrow a bit more and then fired. The arrow flew to the side of the target and hit the wall in the back. Magnus laughed. He looked at Alec again.

"Are you okay?" Alec still felt like something was off.

"What do you mean?" Magnus grinned. "That was great!"

"You seem distracted." Alec hoped he wasn't saying anything wrong."

"Oh, right." Magnus threw his arms out, not letting go of the bow. "Alexander. _Biceps._ " Magnus used his non-bow hands to point to Alec's upper arm.

"Oh." Alec looked at his arms. "Is this the first time you've seen me take off my sweater?" He hadn't realized his arms were that muscular. He hadn't thought of himself as really a strong person. He guessed he was, though. He liked that.

"Yes," Magnus said. "And _wow._ " He propped his bow against the side of the stall like Alec had done earlier. "I mean, I felt muscle through your sweater, but I had no idea-" Magnus's grin was infectious.

Alec crossed his arms and the uncrossed them. "You think they're wow?" He was genuinely surprised. "The heavier the draw on a bow, the more powerful the release," he said. "That's all. Also, if I didn't have upper body strength I'd take forever to get anywhere."

"That makes sense, really," Magnus said. "And it also looks really good." Magnus shifted his gaze to Alec's face. " _Really_ good."

"Yeah?" Alec said, blushing again.

"Yeah." Magnus held his hand out to Alec. "Can you show me how to shoot again, exactly like you did it just now? It was extremely educational."

* * *

 **Woot! Another chapter! I am getting excited-er and excited-er about all this, tbh. I've gotten pretty invested. I love you all.**

 **HAPPY NEW YEAR! What did you do/are you doing to celebrate the New Year? I had a party thing. I ate a lot. A lot. Now I have homework and I am thanking my past self for having this chapter all ready to post.**

 **You're all great. Tip your waiters, folks, I'm here all week.**


	9. Chapter 9: Run

The bell rang, ending first period.

"And we'll continue next class!" Mr. Jeremiah sat down at his desk. Alec swept his papers into his folder and his folder into his backpack. Magnus had been packed up for five minutes already.

"I think I'll enter myself for sophomore court," Magnus said.

"What?" Alec followed him outside. He tugged on the hem of his sweater, which Magnus had started to try to convince him to stop wearing.

"Homecoming court. Weren't you listening to morning announcements?"

No, Alec had not been listening to morning announcements. He'd been noticing how the sun caught every speck of glitter on Magnus's eyelid, how it curved down to his cheekbones.

"Why would you want to be on homecoming court?"

"Alexander," Magnus said, "I missed out on freshman year. I need to get as much high school experience as I can. And homecoming court is a way to do that."

"All right." That sounded reasonable. Alec thought that Magnus would actually make a very good Sophomore prince. "I'll register you, then."

"What?" Magnus adjusted his glittery backpack. "You?"

"I'm one of the sophomore class officers. I'm not the one who's technically in charge of homecoming, but I can register people for voting." Alec paused and took out his phone. "It's first come first served, too, so you have an edge already."

"You have a limit on how many people can run?" Magnus shrugged. "I didn't expect that. Is that how they do it in movies?"

"They only focus on homecoming queen in movies." Alec added "Magnus Bane" along with Magnus's school email to the google doc he shared with the rest of Sophomore student council. "You're in. Just check your email for information."

"This is exciting." When Alec started to move again, Magnus joined him. Alec's next period math class was right next to Magnus's next period theatre class. The school didn't really have a real theatre, just a gym that could be made into a stage by folding bleachers on one side and using the other side as an audience, and theatre happened in the math building for lack of a better place. "I'm running for homecoming court!" They reached the building and stopped. The bell wouldn't ring for another six minutes.

"Yes, you are," Alec said. He was just realizing that if Magnus wanted the high school experience, that would mean they would go to the homecoming dance. And they'd probably actually dance. Alec wondered how that would work. The middle school dance he'd gone to had been easier. The girl he'd gone with really just took him so she could submit photos to Buzzfeed showing what a good person she was to go to the big dance with the kid in a wheelchair, hoping to be added to one of those "faith in humanity" posts. Alec had been able to sit near the snacks with most of the other boys who didn't want to dance. It had been boring, but not any more awkward than one would expect at a middle school dance.

Magnus checked his phone. "I got an email already!"

"Yeah, we work fast." Alec watched Magnus scroll through his mail.

"Posters?" Magnus got more excited. "Speech?"

"We take homecoming court seriously." Alec shrugged.

"I'm going to get here early tomorrow morning to put up posters!" Magnus said. "Want to help?"

"Sure." Alec would probably be up to get to school early just to wander around with Magnus and laugh at the pigeons that were always awake far to early for anyone who didn't have a schedule. "Want help making the posters tonight?"

Magnus grinned. "It's a date."

* * *

The morning was chilly. It was late September, and the weather was changing.

"Poster, please," Magnus said.

Alec handed him one. The posters said "Magnus Bane for Homecoming reign" in big letters, and "Make Magnus Bane your Sophomore prince" in smaller letters under that. The writing was in blue, because Magnus wanted people to see that he could conform to gender expectations but simply chose not to, and also because the homecoming theme was "Flying in the Sky." Magnus and Izzy had done most of the work.

"Tape."

Alec dutifully handed his boyfriend a piece of tape.

"Last one!" Magnus smoothed the tape into place and stepped back to admire his work. "I think I have a chance." His words echoed a bit in the near-empty campus, no one but some early-to-rise teachers going about their teacher-y business.

"You have a big chance," Alec said.

"Big like your dreamy, dreamy biceps." Magnus stood behind Alec's wheelchair and snaked his hands around Alec's upper arms. "I'm telling you, Alexander, you should be a model."

"Yeah," Alec said. "Then Buzzfeed could write an article about overcoming challenges. It could go viral."

Magnus laughed, his breath blowing across the back of Alec's neck. "Mention me, all right?"

Alec used Magnus's arms to turn his chair and face him. "Oh, you'll be in the shoot with me."

Magnus grinned. His teeth were so white, Alec could definitely see how he'd been an actor. And a model, actually. Alec had googled Magnus's name and found a few GAP Kids ads, with Magnus around eight or nine.

"Alexander," Magnus said. "How wonderful of you to share the spotlight." He leaned down, and Alec turned his face up, and their lips met. It wasn't a long kiss, but soon they heard someone clearing their throat. They broke apart quickly.

"Hello, boys," Mrs. Whitsmith said. She didn't stop her walk.

"Hi," Magnus and Alec said together. Alec frantically thought through the school rulebook he'd read. Was PDA not allowed?

Mrs. Whitsmith didn't say anything, just continued on to her classroom. Magnus laughed nervously.

"Maybe save it for after school?" Magnus suggested.

"I don't want to agree, but I think I have to."

* * *

The Sophomore speeches were on Thursday, three days after Magnus signed up. It was held in the Quad. Magnus had studied the juniors and seniors when they made their speeches, taking meticulous notes. He didn't seem to care so much, but he did say that if he was going to run, he was going to give it his all.

Magnus went fourth.

"Nerds, track team, theatre kids, lend me your ears," he began, in the style of Shakespeare's "Friends, Romans, countrymen" speech. The theatre kids cheered loudly. One of them had brought a foam finger. Magnus stood onstage with the other seven Sophomore court prince nominees, and the eight princesses. Another Sophomore theatre kid had already given a speech, and the theatre kids had cheered for him, too. Alec had always seen the theatre kids as a cliquey, backstabby bunch, but it seemed once you were in, you were a theatre kid all the way _,_ Jets-style.

Next to Alec, Isabelle whooped loudly. Her being there didn't matter, but she figured she and Jace could really whip up the crowd in Magnus's favor.

"Okay, maybe Shakespeare puns aren't your thing." Magnus grinned. "And honestly, that was the worst pun I have ever made."

Jonathan Clave High School was weird. They were way too into anything that involved elections. Student Council had whole campaigns where they spoke at various locations on campus, and even the lower branches of the Homecoming court made elaborate speeches. Helen had schooled Magnus in the ways of the average Jonathan Clave High School voter, and while his speech had some colorful Magnus flair it was mostly a cut-and-dried Homecoming candidate speech. Except it was much better presented than the football guy who had gone first.

Magnus finished it off with a bow. The GSA and Drama Club both stood and whooped, which made the Sophomores watching clap even harder and yell even more.

"Do you think he's gay?" A girl said, a few feet away from Alec as the applause died down.

"He's wearing glitter eyeshadow and made a Shakespeare pun," her friend said. "It's obvious."

"I'm so voting for him," The first girl sighed. "Gay guys are so cool."

 _Way to stereotype,_ Alec thought, but he didn't want to sound like a creepy eavesdropper so he kept quiet.

Magnus sat back on the bench he was assigned to onstage. None of the other speeches were as interesting (except for the kid who dressed in a full clown suit, but no one could really hear what he mumbled into the mic). After the last nominee had spoken and the MC, a senior who was generally appointed to MC everything, had announced the end of the speeches, Magnus headed right for Alec. A few congratulatory kids proved t be obstacles, but Magnus made it through.

"You did really, really well," Alec said. "I think you got it."

"Shh," Magnus said. "Don't jinx me." But his grin gave away his confidence. And maybe somewhere in there there was appreciation of Alec's comment. Maybe?


	10. Chapter 10: Just Imagine Something

"Hey, Magnus." The girl was pretty, blonde, blue-eyed. Alec had seen her around school, but had never spoken to her.

"Hi." Magnus flashed a dazzling smile and turned his attention back to Alec. They continued on to their physio classroom. "Who was that?"

"Her name's Elsie." Alec shrugged while pushing his wheelchair, something that looked easier than it was. "You don't know her?"

"Hi!" A redhead, not Clary but another, taller girl with straight hair, waved to Magnus as she ran by.

"Or her." Magnus's brow furrowed.

"I think it's the Sophomore court thing," Alec said. Magnus brightened.

"Ooh. So they'll probably vote for me?" Magnus did a little skip, with jazz hands on the landing.

"Probably?" Alec smiled. Magnus smiled back.

"What do people wear to homecoming?" Magnus asked.

"I don't know, actually." Alec looked down. "I didn't go to homecoming."

"You didn't?" Magnus turned to look at Alec, stopping him from going further. Magnus bagan to walk backwards in front of Alec. "Why?"

"I didn't want to?" Alec shrugged again.

"Homecoming, Alexander! It's what high school dreams are made of."

"Magnus..." Alec felt weird saying it, but there was no one in the immediate vicinity. The two had made a habit of arriving to school early, and the AP classrooms were off in a corner. "Dances can be hard. They're crowded, and no one's paying attention to where they're going- I mean, I'm awkward anyway, but then with all that..." Alec tried to make himself look into Magnus's eyes, but instead his gaze stayed on the ground.

"Oh, right. I'm sorry, Alexander, I didn't think."Magnus shook his head. "Soemtimes I forget things must be different for you."

Alec smiled softly.

Magnus took Alec's face in his hands, bringing Magnus's gaze to Alec's own. "You- You don't have to come to this year's, either, you know, even if I am elected. I don't want to-"

"No!" Alec took Magnus's hands. "I want to go this year. With you."

Magnus's eyes almost sparked from the grin that exploded across his face.

* * *

"Magnus and I will take perfectly good care of you." Izzy paced in front of Alec's closet.

Alec wasn't so sure. He wanted to look good at homecoming, but he also knew what Izzy and Magnus considered looking good, and Alec most certainly did not agree.

"You have nothing that would work!" Magnus's voice was a bit muffled fem inside the closet. "Do you only own sweaters?"

"I have a few T-shirts." Alec crossed his arms.

"Remind me again why I'm dating you?"

"Alec isn't big on fashion," Izzy sighed. "I swear, Jace is the straightest of the straights and still has more style than Alec."

"Stereotypes," Alec scoffed. "Magnus, come out of the closet."

"Fine." Magnus backed out of Alec's closet. "We'll go raid Jace's closet, then."

Isabelle shot a glance at Alec. He nodded.

"That's a good idea," Isabelle said. She opened the door and left, calling "JACE!" as she went. A few moments later, she returned.

"His dad's not home," she said. "Let's go."

Alec followed her through the house, down their front walk, and up Jace's. Magnus walked beside Alec.

Izzy paused at the stairs. Alec didn't give her time to push him, but lined the backs of his wheels up with the low porch stairs and tilted back. Izzy tensed until Alec was on the porch. Magnus's mouth was tilted into a smile.

The door was unlocked. Everyone in the neighborhood knew everyone else, and though Stephen Herondale was more of a private person, he still was at least an acquaintance to all of the neighbors.

Though Alec and Izzy didn't go to Jace's nearly as often as Jace was at their house, they knew where Jace's room was and made a beeline for it. The house was practically a mirror of the Lightwood home, architecturally if not in decoration. Jace's room looked like it had every other time they were over: the beige walls that were painted over at the Lightwood's, a dresser, the tidy-as-hell bookshelves, blue bed and the closet. The branches of a tree scratching on the window made Alec shiver, an imaginary knot concentrated right where his spine lost movement.

"Okay." Magnus opened Jace's closet and grinned widely. "Here we are!" He pushed a few shirts aside. "Are you the same size?"

"Yeah." Alec drummed his fingers on his armrests.

"Perfect." Magnus picked out a shirt and a jacket. "Try these on. Do you want me to leave?"

"I don't mind," Alec said, at the same moment that Izzy said "Nah."

"What?" Alec looked at Izzy.

"I'm giving my sisterly permission for him to see you shirtless," Isabelle said. "It's an honor."

"Okay then," Alec said. He took off his shirt, then changed into Jace's. He was confident about his upper body, really. His torso wasn't as muscled as his arms, but it wasn't anything to be insecure about. He leaned forward to put on the jacket between his back and the chair.

"That's perfect!" Izzy said, and Magnus nodded. "That was easy."

"Okay then," Alec said. "I'll take these home?"

"Yes." Magnus dragged out the sound. "Glorious. Those look amazing on you."

Izzy laughed. "You two are sickeningly adorable." She swished her hair in a cloud around her back and left the room. Alec started for the door after her, pausing and waiting for Magnus. Isabelle winked at him and left the house altogether.

The living room of Jace's house was between his room and the front door. It had a glass sliding door looking out on the back yard. Magnus walked over to it and raised an eyebrow.

"That's a nice tree," Magnus said. "Perfect for a treehouse." Alec knew which tree he meant. It had wide, strong-looking branches and beautiful, vibrant green leaves.

"Yeah." Alec slowly wheeled his way to where he was beside Magnus, looking out at the yard. His heart was blocking his breathing, his chest heavy. "When we were little, Izzy and I were over here as often as Jace was at our house. This was our favorite tree." Alec took a breath. "We tried building a treehouse. A few years ago, we thought a clubhouse would be cool. We were gonna live there and only come inside when it was really, really cold and snowing."

"Yeah, I see a board." Magnus peered through the glass, careful not to smudge it. "It didn't work?"

"The branch broke," Alec said. "I, um, I hammered a nail into the wrong place or something, and... It kinda cracked. See?" Alec pointed to a tree limb that stuck out at a ragged angle. Magnus's breathing caught and Alec swallowed, trying to lessen the lump in his throat. Magnus didn't say anything, but his eyes were soft when they looked at Alec. Alec bit his lip.

"You don't have to-" Magnus began, but Alec shushed him.

"No," Alec said, "I do." He pointed to the roots. "Anterior cord syndrome can be caused by a stab wound, which is a dramatic way of saying I fell on a pocket knife that I left open." Alec rested his hands on his lap.

He remembered the pain more than anything else. Everything else was blurred by it, or too terrible to remember. But he also couldn't help but remember the fear, the assured knowledge that something awful had happened, that something was incurably wrong. Nine-year-old Alec had been right, and the proof was the lack of movement in his legs.

"Oh, God," Magnus said. "Alexander."

"Sorry," Alec said. "Is this too much? Should I not have-"

"No," Magnus said. "You shouldn't be the one apologizing."

"I mean, _you_ didn't do anything wrong," Alec said. "I just talked... Was that okay? I-"

"I brought it up." Magnus knelt, not seeming so much like a "I'll-descend-to-your-level,-you-poor-thing" but rather a "let-me-get-closer-to-your-eye-level-for-some-timely-boyfriend-bonding." Alec took Magnus's hand.

"I didn't tell you beforehand. I didn't expect you to know about the whole treehouse thing." Alec began to rub absent-minded circles between Magnus's thumb and fingers. "Just to get it out of the way: I can't feel pain or temperature, but I can feel pressure. And-" Alec blushed. "My motor skills in my legs are affected, but other than that, I got lucky."

"Lucky?" Magnus didn't argue that point, but Alec felt like Magnus was going to need some time to process what Alec had just told him.

"Yeah," Alec said, almost in a whisper. "Meeting you." Alec was embarrassed almost as he said it, and knew the cheese was unbearable. It was completely off topic, and not at all what "lucky" had meant in their conversation, but Magnus went with it.

"In that case, I'm a lottery winner," Magnus said. "Wanna get those clothes into your closet? I want to see how the votes are coming along."

"You don't need to. We know you're going to win," Alec said.

"Yeah, it's the power of the glitter." Magnus smiled. "But I need to at least act humble." Magnus stood and shot Alec one of Magnus's signature flirty looks. Alec thought that as far as luck had gone, he had not only won the lottery, but the power ball and every slot machine in Vegas besides.

* * *

 **Not a long chapter, but a lot happened. I have been planning this for forEVER. As always, if I got anything wrong, PM me PLEASE. I want to be as accurate as possible (I mean, this is fanfiction so it might not be 100% cheese and crackers, but I want to at least know the rules I'm breaking). I got a lot of my information here:** /articles/anterior-cord-syndrome.

 **As always, thank you tons for reading. You are amazing. Yes, you. If you can, comments and stuff make my day, but the fact that you're here makes me smile (Yes, I can see how many people have read. No, I can't see exactly who). But I am ecstatic that there are people who are willing to read this stuff. Meaning the chapters. If you read the notes, that's a bonus. You are the bomb.**


	11. Chapter 11: No, I'm Serious

"Alec," Jace said, "I think I'm on love." He leaned on the table.

"With who?" Alec didn't look up from his math homework.

"Clary," Jace said. "I am in love with Clary."

Alec still didn't look up.

"Jace," Alec said, "you have literally known her for a month and a half."

"The heart has no sense of time!" Jace said. He stuck his face between Alec's face and the worksheet. "It knows in an instant whether it is right or wrong!"

"Listen, Jace," Alec said, "I know that you like Clary, but I really need to do this. I have an essay to write after this."

"Alec!" Jace flopped onto the table in full, his golden eyes large with the dramatic, poetic love he said he felt. He looked plaintively at Alec. "The heart has no concept of homework!"

"Mine does," Alec said. "Are you two even official yet?"

"We make out a lot," Jace said. He drew his face back and stood up. "That counts."

"Izzy," Alec called, "come help me with Jace."

Max poked his head into the room. "Izzy's at extra dance rehearsal," he said. "What's wrong with Jace?"

"What's _right_ with Jace," Alec muttered to himself. To Max, he said, "Jace thinks he's in a Disney movie."

"Clary does look like Merida," Jace said. "Alec, can you give her archery lessons?"

That made Alec think of the archery lesson he'd given Magnus. "Absolutely not," Alec said. "And anyway, Merida doesn't end up with anyone."

"Right." Jace sighed.

"Especially not the creepy blond one."

"Hey!" Jace gave Alec a friendly slap upside the head. Alec raised one eyebrow. "I'm not creepy."

"Jace is more like The Beast," Max said. "He has the same color hair at the end and also he eats like him." Max straightened his glasses.

"Hey!" Jace hopped off the counter. "You think I'm the beast?"

Max nodded seriously.

"Then who's Alec?"

Alec turned to look at Max.

"Prince Eric," Max said.

Alec crossed his arms. "Yeah?"

"Because he looks like Prince Eric."

"That makes Magnus Ariel," Alec said.

"He can be Ariel." Max turned to leave. "I have homework too. I need to do thirty minutes of reading."

"Have fun," Jace called. He turned back to Alec. "Why are you the dreamy prince and I'm the one who looks like an ugly rock star?"

"I don't make the rules," Alec said. "Max does, apparently."

"I mean, we all know I'm the hottest person in this town," Jace said, getting back onto the homework counter. "I should do pageants."

"So we're not talking about Clary anymore?"

"No! She's my inspiration to do pageants." Jace leaned back, stretching in a full-length model pose over Alec's homework. "My muse. My shining star. Except I'd be the star. And she'd be the star's girlfriend."

"Okay, Jace. Now, why don't you move so that I can finish my math?"

"You are so boring," Jace said. "I'm inviting Clary over."

"Remember, Izzy's room," Alec said. "Not mine."

Jace didn't dignify that with a response, but glided elegantly off to bother his "one true love." His pace was better suited to a socialite ball than a living room.

Alec sighed and turned back to his homework.

* * *

"Alec," Izzy said, "you know what would piss Dad off?"

"What?" Alec didn't have time for all these grand schemes. He'd fled to his room to escape Jace, who was "madly in love." He really did not want to deal with Izzy ready to do whatever she had to, really, to spite her father.

"It would really piss Dad off-" Izzy paused, enjoying the suspense. "If I dated Simon."

"What?" Alec looked up from scheduling weekend archery lessons for kids. "Iz, I think Magnus would make him a lot angrier."

"Yeah, but you're not _telling_ him," Isabelle said. "And I don't want you to tell him. But Simon is Jewish. Dad wouldn't be _too_ angry, but he'd be ticked off."

"Isn't it... politically incorrect to date someone because of their religion?"

"He's also kinda pretty. I could make something of him." Izzy paused, considering. "And he's the one who made the joke. When I told him dad had run off to marry a super religious girl and now hates everything even more than he did before, Simon said something like 'wow, this Jew never wants to meet your dad.'"

"That's kinda the opposite of asking to date you to spite your dad, Izzy."

"Yeah, but do you think he'd _mind_ dating me?" Isabelle slung a curtain of sleek dark hair over her shoulder. "I think he's hopeless for Clary, but she doesn't notice at all. At _least_ I might make her notice."

Alec looked at Isabelle. "you are a one-woman soap opera. Iz, I doubt he'd like being used like that."

"I'm not asking for your permission. I'm just asking to be sure you think it'd tick Dad off."

"Yeah, it would. Now leave. I have to study." Alec crossed his arms, and Isabelle sighed.

"Next year, take fewer AP classes." She turned, her hair swinging, and left the room. She did that annoying sibling thing, too, where they only half close the door, so Alec had to go close it himself. He sighed. Isabelle was so much work.

* * *

When Max walked in, Alec sighed again.

"Please don't tell me you're in love or planning on spite-dating," Alec said. Max looked confused.

"Alec, I'm _nine._ " Max walked over to his bookshelf. "I just wanted to get a comic book." Max looked at the shelf for a moment before choosing a book.

"All right." Alec went back to his studying. Again.

* * *

Short chapter. Note: I am Jewish. Jews can make Jew jokes. I am not here for non-Jews making Jew jokes. And I'm not going to make offensive ones. Tbh there are so few Jewish characters in books (at least explicitly Jewish ones in books that aren't just about their Jewishness) and Simon is the .

Ily all.


End file.
